[A 5'-DFUR + CPA + THP therapy that was effective for paclitaxel-refractory pulmonary metastasis of breast cancer--a case report].

What should be the standard treatment for taxane-refractory metastatic breast cancer remains controversial. In this paper, a case in which the 5'-DFUR + CPA + THP therapy was effective for paclitaxel-refractory metastatic breast cancer is reported. A 41-year-old female received pectoral muscle preserved mastectomy under diagnosis of the left breast cancer in May 1996. In June, 1999, a coin lesion of 2.2 cm diameter was found in the left middle lung field with chest X-ray. Paclitaxel 210 mg/m2 (once for three weeks, 8 cycles in total) resulted in marked improvement. The regimen of paclitaxel 70 mg/m2 (medication consecutive once-weekly for three weeks, and withdrawal for next week; 1 cycle) was carried out continuously with the patient ambulatory. Because resistance to the treatment appeared at the time the total dose reached 2,700 mg, 5'-DFUR + CPA + THP therapy (THP 30 mg/m2 (i.v.) x day 1, CPA 77 mg/m2 (p.o.) x 14 days, 5'-DFUR 460 mg/m2 (p.o.) x 14 days; 3 weeks with 1 cycle) was carried out, and definite improvement in the lung findings were observed. 5'-DFUR + CPA + THP therapy may be of use as a second-line therapy in paclitaxel-refractory recurrent breast cancer.