COMBINATION THERAPY WITH PLATINUM AND ETOPOSIDE OF BRAIN METASTASES FROM BREAST-CARCINOMA

Twenty-two consecutive patients with brain metastases from breast carcinoma were treated with a combination of platinum (100 mg/m2 day 1) and etoposide (100 mg/m2 days 4,6,8) every three weeks. Five (23% achieved a complete response (CR) while 7 (32% obtained a partial response (PR) for an overall response rate of 55% The 95% confidence interval for combined CR and PR was 34-76% Five patients received brain irradiation after reaching the maximum degree of objective remission by chemotherapy. Median duration of combined CR plus PR was 40 weeks (12 + 152). Median duration of survival was 58 weeks (2; 208+ Fifty-five percent of the patients were alive at one year. Our study demonstrates that this combination treatment is highly effective in the management of brain metastases from breast carcinoma. © 1990 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.