[Vindesine and adriamycin in the therapy of metastatic breast cancer].

In a Phase II trial 30 patients with metastatic breast cancer and unfavorable prognosis were treated with a combination of adriamycin and vindesine (ADM 60 mg/m2 day 1 i.v.; VDS 3-5 mg/m2 day 1 i.v.; repeated every 3 to 4 weeks). Of these patients 20 had received no prior chemotherapy and 10 were pretreated. Complete and partial remission rates were 20% in the pretreated patients and 70% in the patients who had received no chemotherapy so far; median remission duration was 21 months. At present, 5 patients are still on study (4 X CR, 1 X PR). No cardiomyopathy was seen, serious leukopenias twice, and in general manageable gastrointestinal side effects as well as total alopecia occurred. A dosage increase from 3 to 5 mg/m2 vindesine was not tolerated in this combination. The combination shows rapid effects and is easily administered. In combinations containing adriamycin, vincristine can be replaced by vindesine, favoring vindesine due to its lower neurotoxicity.