Clinical activity of cisplatin and prolonged oral administration of etoposide in previously treated, anthracycline-resistant, metastatic breast cancer patients: a phase II study.

BACKGROUND: This phase II study evaluates the antitumor activity and tolerance of cisplatin and prolonged oral administration of etoposide in metastatic breast cancer previously exposed to anthracyclines. PROCEDURE: Twenty-seven patients with metastatic breast cancer who developed tumor progression following anthracyclines wer e entered in the study. The patients were treated with combination chemotherapy of cisplatin 50 mg/m(2) IV day 1 and oral etoposide 50 mg/m(2) days 1-17. Cycles were repeated every 29 days. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients were evaluated for toxicity and response. Complete remission was observed in 1 of 26 (4%) patients and partial remission in 12 of 26 (46%). Median duration of response was seven months. Pain relief was noted in 9 of 15 (60%) of the symptomatic patients. Myelosuppression was the major toxicity encountered and four (15%) patients required hospitalization for granulocytopenic fever. Nonhematologic toxicity was mild. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of cisplatin with prolonged oral etoposide is active and tolerable in the management of patients with relapsed metastatic breast cancer previously treated with an anthracycline-based regimen.