What is the upper limits of anthracycline dose you are willing to give in a treatment-refractory metastatic breast cancer patient if the patient is responding to salvage weekly adriamycin after progression on multiple prior regimens?
Patient has hormone-refracatory disease, had high visceral burden (pulmonary mets, bone, lymph). Progressed on taxane, xeloda, gemcitabine. Now has marked response to weekly adriamycin, regression of all sites of disease.
Answer from: Medical Oncologist at Academic Institution
I would not normally exceed 350-400 mg/m2. However, this is a tough situation in that the patient is treatment-refractory without many other great options and responding. According to the package insert, "the probability of developing impaired myocardial function based on a combined index of ...