Chemotherapy of advanced breast cancerResults of a controlled trial comparing two three-drug regimens

Seventy patients with breast cancer in an advanced stage were treated, at random, according to one of the two regimens of cyclic administration, associating, on one hand, doxorubicin + vincristine + methotrexate and on the other hand, vincristine + cyclophosphamide + 5 fluorouracil. Only the immediate results are studied in this controlled trial in 61 evaluable patients. They are significantly better with the first association: 63% measurable objective responses vs 47.5% (0.025 < P < 0.05) and 30% of tumoral regressions superior to 50% vs 3.2% (0.001 < P < 0.010). The toxicity is hardly more marked (mainly cardiovascular and hematological) in the second regimen than in the first one, but remains altogether acceptable for an induction chemotherapy.