RESUMO
One hundred forty-one patients with advanced breast cancer who had not received prior chemotherapy were randomly assigned to receive doxorubicin 60 mg/m2 or epirubicin 90 mg/m2 every 3 weeks. These doses were selected to produce equivalent toxicities. All patients were assessed for toxicity, and 138 patients were assessable for response. After a median of five treatment cycles, 47% (32 of 68) of doxorubicin-treated patients achieved a partial or complete response. Response duration and survival were 10 and 12 months for doxorubicin and 8 and 10 months for epirubicin, respectively. Noncardiac toxicities were similar for both drugs. Of 41 patients receiving doxorubicin who had serial left ventricular ejection fraction assessments, seven sustained a fall of 10% or more, and one patient developed congestive cardiac failure at a cumulative doxorubicin dose of 489 mg/m2. Of 39 patients receiving epirubicin who had serial cardiac assessments, five sustained left ventricular ejection fraction falls of 10% or more and two patients developed congestive cardiac failure at cumulative doses of 178 mg/m2 and 833 mg/m2. These data indicate that an epirubicin dose of 90 mg/m2 produces toxicity equivalent to doxorubicin 60 mg/m2 but does not improve response rates, response duration, or survival in advanced breast cancer.
Assuntos
Neoplasias da Mama/tratamento farmacológico , Doxorrubicina/uso terapêutico , Epirubicina/uso terapêutico , Adulto , Idoso , Doxorrubicina/efeitos adversos , Epirubicina/efeitos adversos , Feminino , Cardiopatias/induzido quimicamente , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Análise de SobrevidaRESUMO
This study tests three hypotheses relating to suicidal behavior among urban black males: that black consciousness and group cohesiveness will be lower and depression will be higher. Inner-city, young adult black males with a suicide attempt in the last 6 months, and matched controls were examined. Hypothesis was one supported; the other two received partial support. The validity of the theory of black self-hatred as the basic cause of suicidal behavior among blacks is questioned. Atwo-factor theory of suicide, focusing on forces moving the person away from suicide toward positive subgroup ties, is proposed.