68 Combined therapy in the treatment of inflammatory breast cancer

Abstract

Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) occurs with an incidence of 1 to 4% among all breast cancer. The prognosis is poor: most women experience metastatic dissemination in the first two years. Patients with IBC are treated at our Institute with Chemotherapy (FEC regimen: 5-FU 500 mg/sqm iv dl, Farmorubicin 100 mg/sqm iv d 1, CTX 500 mg/sqm iv d1 every 3 weeks) × 4 cycles + Lonidamine 450 mg by mouth a day. After 4 cycles of Chemotherapy, responsive patients (CR + PR) are operated on radical mastectomy followed by a further 4 cycles of FEC + Lonidamine and Radiotherapy. Stable (NC) and Progressive patients are treated with Radiotherapy and Salvage Chemotherapy (Mitomycin 15 mg/sqm iv dl every 6 weeks + Mitoxantrone 10 mg/sqm iv dl every 3 weeks × 6 cycles). Twenty-seven patients entered in the study. We obtained complete remission + partial remissions in 22 patients (81%), a minimal response in 3 patients, NC in 2 patients. Three patients with minimal response were operated on radical mastectomy after Radiotherapy.