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300 Chapter 6: Breast Cancer<br />

high-dose chemotherapy, 15.6 months (95% CI 13.3-19.7). This difference was<br />

statistically significant in univariate testing (unadjusted f=0.0048 by log-rank,<br />

P=0.0001).<br />

LEVEL II EVIDENCE<br />

In 1995, Bezwoda <strong>and</strong> his group 5<br />

published a prospective r<strong>and</strong>omized phase III<br />

study, but because of the rather low number of patients (45 in each arm), it<br />

represents only level II evidence. In this paper, the authors compared the results of<br />

high-dose vs. conventional-dose chemotherapy as first-line treatment for metastatic<br />

breast cancer. The comparison included complete response rate, duration of<br />

response, <strong>and</strong> duration of survival. Ninety patients were entered in the study, which<br />

compared two cycles of the following high-dose regimen: cyclophosphamide 2.4<br />

g/m 2<br />

, mitoxantrone 35^45 mg/m 2<br />

, etoposide 2.5 g/m 2<br />

. The st<strong>and</strong>ard-dose arm<br />

consisted of six to eight cycles of the following treatment: cyclophosphamide 600<br />

mg/m 2<br />

, methotrexate 12 mg/m 2<br />

, <strong>and</strong> vincristine 1.4 mg/m 2<br />

. The high-dose regimen<br />

included either <strong>autologous</strong> bone <strong>marrow</strong> or peripheral <strong>blood</strong> stem cell rescue. All<br />

90 patients who were r<strong>and</strong>omized were assessable for all objectives.<br />

The group found that response rates, duration of response, <strong>and</strong> duration of<br />

survival were significantly longer for patients who received high dose CNV.<br />

Toxicity overall was acceptable, <strong>and</strong> hematologic recovery was also acceptable. In<br />

conclusion, the authors concluded that high-dose CNV appeared to be a promising<br />

regimen if delivered twice to patients with metastatic breast cancer.<br />

Because the study had only 90 patients r<strong>and</strong>omized (45 patients each arm) <strong>and</strong><br />

some imbalance regarding further tamoxifen treatment after achieving response, it<br />

remains controversial. Nevertheless, in the absence of published, large, prospective<br />

r<strong>and</strong>omized trials, this study provides the best available evidence.<br />

LEVEL I EVIDENCE<br />

The data obtained through studies described above <strong>and</strong> published elsewhere do not<br />

provide any level I evidence to support the superiority of high-dose chemotherapy<br />

with <strong>autologous</strong> <strong>blood</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>marrow</strong> stem cell <strong>transplantation</strong> in patients with metastatic<br />

breast cancer. Therefore, the NCIC-CTG recently designed a study entitled, "A<br />

r<strong>and</strong>omized trial of high dose chemotherapy <strong>and</strong> <strong>autologous</strong> stem cell therapy versus<br />

st<strong>and</strong>ard therapy in women with metastatic breast cancer who have responded to

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