3 research outputs found
Megestrol acetate in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer
There are many non-elucidated questions concerning cancer, especially of the
breast, in which hormones are involved. The scope of this particular study
is to bring more clarity on the role of the progestin megestrol acetate in
the hormonal treatment of breast cancer.
It should be kept in mind that this is a clinical study. Biochemical details
mentioned in Chapter I serve primarily as a background for a better
understanding of clinical effects.
The study was done from 1974-1983 and 5 questions have provided the frame
for this thesis:
l. How effective is megestrol acetate in the treatment of metastatic breast
cancer? (Chapter II)
2. What is the role of steroid receptors in the mechanism of action of
megestrol acetate in inducing tumor regression? (Chapter III + IV)
3. Has the effect of megestrol acetate on some endocrine parameters any
relation to tumor regression? What is the optimal dose? (Chapter V)
4. In what sequence of hormonal treatment should megestrol acetate be used?
Is there a difference with regard to the age and/or menopausal state of
the patient? (Chapter VI)
S. Does the combination of megestrol acetate and tamoxifen have any
additional effect on endocrine events; especially can megestrol
acetate-induced hyperprolactinaemia be suppressed by the administration
of tamoxifen? (Chapter VII)
These questions are considered in the general discussion and summar
Weekly low-dose mitoxantrone plus doxorubicin as second-line chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer
Weekly low dose mitoxantrone (3 mg/m2) plus doxorubicin (8 mg/m2) was administered as second-line chemotherapy to 33 patients with advanced breast cancer. Four out of 28 evaluable patients (14%) obtained a partial response with a median duration of 34 weeks (range 18-67+ weeks), while 8 patients (29%) showed stable disease with a median duration of 28 weeks (range 11+-60 weeks). Gastrointestinal toxicity and alopecia were mild. Grade II and III leukopenia occurred in 63% of the courses without serious infectious disease. Four patients experienced an asymptomatic drop of 16-20% in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) after relatively low cumulative doses of each drug, and one patient with a history of pericarditis carcinomatosa and mediastinal irradiation developed a heart failure. In conclusion, this second-line combination treatment had moderate activity in breast cancer and caused only few subjective side effects, especially with respect to gastrointestinal symptoms