[Combination therapy with medroxyprogesterone acetate and tegafur in tamoxifen- and adriamycin-resistant advanced breast cancers].

: Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) plus Tegafur (TGF) therapy was performed to evaluate the efficacy in a treatment for Tamoxifen- and Adriamycin-resistant advanced breast cancers. The patients were medicated in different doses on 800 mg or 1,200 mg daily po for MPA and TGF. Sixteen patients were evaluable in this trial. According to criteria of the Japan Mammary Cancer Society, one was regarded as CR and five as PR. The response rate was 37.5%. There was no difference in response rates between premenopausal and postmenopausal patients or ER positive and negative patients. No difference was noted either in response rates and incidence of side effects between two different doses of MPA. This means that an 800 mg daily dose of MPA lower than the recommended 1,200 mg might be better in the treatment for Japanese patients with advanced breast cancers. Gastrointestinal disorders, bone marrow suppression and liver dysfunction which could be found in high-dose TGF therapy, were not frequently observed in this trial. Patients could expect good quality of life during the treatment because of fewer side effects. This combination therapy with MPA and TGF was regarded as a good modality for the treatment of Tamoxifen- and Adriamycin-resistant advanced breast cancers.