Summary
Actinomycin D is generally administered by serial low-dose injection over 5–10 days. Recent recognition of prolonged serum and tissue half-lives suggests that high-dose intermittent injection should be equally effective and less toxic. An intermittent single dose schedule was selected for this phase II trial of actinomycin D in 23 patients with advanced breast cancer refractory to standard combination chemotherapy. The drug was given in doses of 0.75–1.5 mg/m2 at 2-week intervals or on days 1 and 8 of 28-day treatment cycles. One patient obtained a partial response with a duration of 5.7 months. Four patients experienced stabilization of advanced disease, with a mean duration of response of 6.4 months. Gastrointestinal toxicity occurred in 47% of patients and mild to moderate myelosuppression in 39%. We conclude that actinomycin D in this dosage and schedule has limited activity in advanced breast cancer. Higher doses might result in increased response rates but would be associated with greater toxicity.
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POA members participating in this study include: W. R. Black, Salisbury, NC; R. M. Christian, Greenwood, SC; S. B. Fishburne, Columbia, SC; R. Harding, Rutherfordton, NC; D. W. Larson, Spruce Pine, NC; J. H. McCullough, Spartanburg, SC; and W. L. Ramseur, Greenwood, SC
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Grimm, R.A., Muss, H.B., White, D.R. et al. Actinomycin D in the treatment of advanced breast cancer. Cancer Chemother. Pharmacol. 4, 195–197 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00254018
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00254018