Skip to main content
Log in

Mitomycin C, melphalan and methotrexate combination chemotherapy for palliation of disseminated breast cancer

  • Original Articles
  • Mitomycin, Melphalan, Methotrexate, Chemotherapy, Breast Cancer
  • Published:
Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Fifty-seven patients with metastatic breast carcinoma have been treated with mitomycin C (10 mg/m2 IV 6-weekly), melphalan (6 mg/m2 POx3 days, 3-weekly), and methotrexate (35 mg/m2 IV 3-weekly) to assess the efficacy and toxicity of this regimen. Of 48 evaluable patients 19 (40%) responded for a median period of 5 months and 12 (25%) had stabilisation of disease. Of the 12 patients previously treated with adriamycin only one responded, whereas 18 of the 36 patients without previous chemotherapy responded. Although healing of bone metastases was infrequent control of hypercalcaemia was commonly seen. Generally the treatment was well tolerated and treatment was stopped in only five patients because of toxicity. Cummulative marrow toxicity was observed but was not a significant problem in the first 6 months of treatment. Mitomycin C, melphalan, and methotrexate (MMM) appears to provide an effective, well tolerated chemotherapy combination for metastatic breast carcinoma.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Carter SK (1976) Integration of chemotherapy into combined modality treatment of solid tumours. VII. Adenocarcinoma of the breast. Cancer Treat Rev 3:141–174

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Creech RH, Catalano RB, Shah MK (et al.) (1983) An effective low-dose mitomycin regimen for hormonal-and chemotherapy-refractory patients with metastatic breast cancer. Cancer 51:1034–1040

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Crooke ST, Bradner WT (1976) Mitomycin C: a review. Cancer Treat Rev 3:121–139

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Hayward JL, Rubens RD, Carbone PP et al. (1977) Assessment of response to therapy in advanced breast cancer. Br J Cancer 35:292–298

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Konits PH, Aisner J, Van Echo DA et al. (1981) Mitomycin C and vinblastine chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer. Cancer 48:1295–1298

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Mattsson W, Van Eyben F, Hallsten L et al. (1982) A phase II study of combined 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin C in advanced breast cancer. Cancer 49:217–220

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Powles TJ, Coombes RC, Smith IE et al. (1980) Failure of chemotherapy to prolong survival in a group of patients with metastatic breast cancer. Lancet 1:580–582

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Rowland-Payne CME, Abbott M, James JM et al. (1982) Weight loss during therapy for advanced breast cancer. Clin Oncol 8:33–38

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Van Oosterom AT, Powles TJ, Hamersma E et al. (1980) A phase II study of mitomycin C in refractory advanced breast cancer. A multi-centre pilot study. Eur J Cancer Clin Oncol [Suppl] 1:275–276

    Google Scholar 

  10. Veronesi A, Tirelli Y, Galligioni E et al. (1982) Third-line chemotherapy with mitomycin, vinblastine and carmustine (BCNU) in refractory breast carcinoma: a pilot study. Cancer Treat Rep 66:559–561

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Perez, D.J., Powles, T.J., Gazet, J.C. et al. Mitomycin C, melphalan and methotrexate combination chemotherapy for palliation of disseminated breast cancer. Cancer Chemother. Pharmacol. 13, 36–38 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00401444

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00401444

Keywords

Navigation