Radiation therapy for locally advanced breast cancer: prognostic factors and complication rate.

A retrospective analysis was carried out in 100 patients with locally advanced breast cancer without distant metastases treated by radiotherapy between 1960 and 1979. The primary tumor was irradiated to a total dose of 60 Gy in 76 patients and to doses ranging between 60 and 80 Gy in 24 patients. The regional lymphatics were treated with doses between 50 and 60 Gy. Following radiotherapy, chemotherapy was administered to 58 patients and hormonal therapy to 29, while 13 patients received no further therapy. Locoregional recurrences were documented in 29% and distant metastases in 49% of patients. The actuarial survival was 56% at 5 years, 21% at 10 years and 14% at 15 years. At 10 years 90% of the surviving patients had some degree of radiation damage.

High-dose metoclopramide and dexamethasone as an antiemetic in outpatients receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer. Second study.

Forty-six outpatients with breast cancer who had experienced severe emesis as a result of chemotherapy were evaluated for the antiemetic efficacy of high-dose metoclopramide (HD-MCP) and dexamethasone (DXM). Chemotherapy consisted of: cyclophosphamide 600, methotrexate 40 and 5-fluorouracil 600 mg/m2 (CMF) given intravenously every 3 weeks. The dosage of antiemetic drugs was MCP 2 mg/kg and DXM 0.2 mg/kg given by slow intravenous drip 0.5 h before the administration of chemotherapy. 138 courses of combined chemotherapy--HD-MCP and DXM--were administered, with a mean of 3 courses and a range of 1-10 courses per patient. Complete protection--no nausea and no vomiting--was achieved in 17.7% of the courses. Partial protection--no vomiting with mild nausea or 1-3 episodes of vomiting--in 45.3% of the courses. The total antiemetic efficacy was 63%. The most common side effects were: drowsiness, dry mouth, restlessness and diarrhea. Sixteen patients (35%) refused to continue the antiemetic regimen because of the side effects. HD-MCP and DXM have antiemetic efficacy, but because of these side effects, further studies are required to determine the optimal dose of each of these drugs.