Inflammatory breast carcinoma. Effective multimodal approach
G. V. Burton, E. B. Cox, G. S. Leight Jr, L. R. Prosnitz, J. D. Iglehart, G. A. Olsen, H. F. Seigler and L. L. Hart
Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.
Twenty-two patients with inflammatory breast carcinoma received
preoperative chemotherapy consisting of weekly administration of
cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin hydrochloride, fluorouracil, and vincristine
sulfate for six weeks. Postoperative therapy consisted of 22 weeks of
biweekly administration of these drugs. Regional radiotherapeutic
consolidation followed chemotherapy. Nineteen patients completed therapy.
Twelve of these patients remain disease free (median, 15 months; range,
four to 32 months). Median disease-free survival for all 22 patients is 13
months or more (range, zero to 32 months). Median overall survival is 18
months or more (range, one to 33 months). This regimen compares favorably
with prolonged adjuvant and maintenance chemotherapy for inflammatory
breast carcinoma.