At the Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, form Jn. 1990 to Sept. 1991, fifty-five patients with breast cancer were treated with the primary combination chemotherapy with FAC regimen.
The treatment protocol (FAC Regimen) consisted of fluorouracil, given on days 1 and 8 at a dose of 500 mg/㎡. Doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide, given on day 1 at dose of 50 and 500 mg/㎡ respectively. All patients recevied three cycles of
chemotheraphy.
Each of the three dugs were repeated, starting of day 28. After two weeks of primary chemotherapy, in 35 of 55 patients, Quadrantectomy, simple mastectomy and modified radical mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection were performed.
@ES The results were as Follows:
@EN 1) The breast cancer was prevalent in forth and fifth decade.
2) After primary chemotherapy, the largest diameter of tumor was decreased less than 5 cm.
3) The most common morphological diagnostic method was a small surgical incisional biopsy (60%).
4) After primary chemotherapy, An overall objective response rate of 69% was achieved with complete response of 17% and partial response of 52%.
5) After primary chemotherapy, breast-preserving operation was performed in 28 of 35 patients(80%).
6) The most common on-hematologic toxicity was alopecia.
7) After primary chemotherapy and operation, In 16 of 35 patients(46%), the axillary lymph node metastasis was not involved.
In conclusions, it appears that the primary chemotherapy can reduce tumor size and there-fore can increase the chance of breast preserving operation and merits further study.
|