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Five‐day continuous‐infusion vinblastine in the treatment of breast cancer
Author(s) -
Fraschini Giuseppe,
Yap HweeYong,
Hortobagyi Gabriel N.,
Buzdar Aman,
Blumenschein George
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19850715)56:2<225::aid-cncr2820560203>3.0.co;2-y
Subject(s) - medicine , vinblastine , vinca , chemotherapy , metastatic breast cancer , breast cancer , neutropenia , surgery , silastic , anesthesia , cancer , urology , gastroenterology , pharmacology
One hundred six evaluable patients with metastatic breast cancer refractory to prior chemotherapy were treated with 5‐day intravenous infusions of vinblastine at 1.4 to 2.0 mg/m 2 /day, through silastic elastomer permanent central venous catheters. Thirty‐nine patients achieved objective responses; 5 were considered complete. The overall response rate of 37% was independent of prior exposure to intermittent intravenous vinca alkaloids or prior response to front‐line doxorubicin combination chemotherapy. Objective responses were documented in 48% of the patients who received daily doses above 1.7 mg/m 2 and in 32% and 29% of those treated with 1.7 mg/m 2 or less, respectively ( P = 0.10). Myelosuppression was more severe in responders, who received higher average doses, (median average nadir, 850 granulocytes/mm 3 ) than in nonresponders (median, 1300 granulocytes/mm 3 ), but was always rapidly reversible. Infections related to neutropenia were uncommon. Catheter‐related toxicities occurred in 13 of 106 patients. Other toxicities were limited. These results confirm that vinblastine given as a continuous 5‐day infusion is one of the most effective agents in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer and suggest that its activity is dose‐dependent.