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Neoadjuvant intra-arterial chemotherapy in inflammatory carcinoma of the breast

Department of Radiology, Clínica Universitaria, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain ^* Department of Oncology, Clínica Universitaria, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

Correspondence: ^* Address correspondence to: J. I. Bilbao, Department of Radiology, Clinica Universitaria de Navarra, Avda. Pío XII s/n, 31080 Pamplona, Spain.

From 1982 to 1989, 18 eligible patients (median age 50.5 years, range 30–72 years) with inflammatory breast carcinoma have been treated with neoadjuvant intra-arterial (IA) chemotherapy. The treatment regimen includes IA cisplatin, adriamycin, mytomycin C and thiotepa on Day 1 and intravenous 5-fluorouracil on Days 1 and 2. An objective clinical response rate of 100% (eight complete and 10 partial) has been observed. The median disease-free and overall survivals are 27 months (range 5–85 + months) and 33 months (range 8–85 + months), respectively. With a median follow-up of 21.5 months, six (33.3%) patients remain alive and free of disease and 12 patients have died because of distant metastases. No local recurrences have been observed. Intra-arterial chemotherapy is an attractive technique for the treatment of locally advanced breast carcinoma with mild toxicity and high local control rate.

Key Words: Breast cancer • Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy • Intra-arterial chemotherapy

Received for publication February 4, 1991. Revision received July 18, 1991. Accepted for publication October 3, 1991.