[A study of VMMC protocol (vindesine, mitoxantrone, mitomycin C) as a salvage chemotherapy in advanced breast cancers].

One hundred and three patients previously treated with chemotherapy including an anthracycline were entered in a VMMC protocol study: vindesine (Eldisine), mitoxantrone (Novantrone) and mitomycin C (Ametycine). Group A consisted of 41 women who received the protocol published by Belpomme: vindesine (2.5 mg/m2 day 1 and 8) and mitoxantrone (12 mg/m2/day) every 4 weeks, and mitomycin C (8 mg/m2) every 8 weeks. Group B consisted of 62 patients who were treated with a modified protocol: vindesine (2.5 mg/m2) and mitoxantrone (12 mg/m2) every 3 weeks on day 1, and mitomycin C (8 mg/m2) every 6 weeks. Tolerance was acceptable with 79% of patients complaining of weakness. There was a 66% incidence of gastro-intestinal toxicity, a 10.7%-incidence of neurotoxicity (reversible dysethesias), and a 5.8% incidence of cardiotoxicity. There was considerable hematotoxicity of grade 2, 3 and 4: neutropenia 16.6%, thrombocytopenia 7.7%, anemia 21.4%. There was a 19.2% overall objective response rate (CR and PR) (95% confidence interval: 12-30) (CR: 3.2%). The median duration of the response was 39 weeks. There was no significant difference in response rates whether or not the patients (19 cases) were undergoing simultaneous hormonal therapy and no difference according to the protocol used. Similarly, neither menopause nor a previous response to anthracyclines had any effect on the response rate. The 19.2% response in this protocol is similar to other breast cancer salvage chemotherapy protocols for patients who have failed to respond to anthracyclines (< 20%).