INTRAARTERIAL INFUSION CHEMOTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF LOCALLY ADVANCED BREAST-CANCER

The efficacy of intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy (IACT) as the fir st step in a combined modality therapy in the treatment of locally adv anced breast cancer was evaluated in a prospective clinical study cons isting of 18 patients, 15 with stage IIIB, and three with stage IV bre ast cancer. A combined chemotherapy using adriamycin, mitomycin C and 5-Fluorouracil were administered at 3-week intervals until sufficient regression was achieved. Objective response rate was 66.6%. Among the 14 patients who received IACT for induction, plus surgery, simultaneou s adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy, 7 were disease-free at a mea n of 19.5 (range 4-42) months. Six patients developed various relapses at a mean of 20.6 (range 12-28) months. IACT was found to be quite ef fective in local control. The early systemic relapse continues to be a serious problem that needs further intervention.