Cancer chemotherapy following adrenalectomy in breast cancer patients

Abstract

Nineteen patients with metastatic breast cancer progressing after adrenalectomy were treated with cyclophosphamide (13 pts.), Mitomycin C (3 pts.), or vincristine (3 pts.). The maintenance dose of corticoids did not have to be increased over that required by adrenalectomized patients not receiving chemotherapy. Toxicity was not greater than that observed in nonadrenalectomized patients. Chemotherapeutic responses were seen in 4 of 13 patients treated with cyclophosphamide. Chemotherapy is not prohibitively toxic in adrenalectomized patients and may be effective in inducing remissions.

Mitomycin C in large infrequent doses in breast cancer

“…The Eastern Clinical Drug Evaluation Program in a Phase 11 screening study found an objective response rate of 36% in patients with breast cancer and recommended that more detailed investigation be undertaken (5). A brief review of the literature lists tumor response rates for breast cancer patients treated with mitomycin C ranging from 0 to 67% with an average of 40% (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12).…”