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Effectiveness of metronomic chemotherapy on metastatic breast cancer?

Page last modified on: January 4, 2010

Question from RebeccaJ-2: Were there any updates on the effectiveness of metronomic chemotherapy on metastatic breast cancer, both with and without bevacizumab? Thanks.: Answer —Kathy Miller, M.D.: Metronomic therapy is an approach that uses much lower doses of chemotherapy administered more frequently as a way of inhibiting the growth of blood vessels that may help the tumor grow. This has been most commonly studied using chemotherapy medicines called Cytoxan (chemical name: cyclophosphamide) and methotrexate (brand names: Amethopterin, Mexate, Folex). Those drugs are often given in higher doses as an IV infusion, but they can also be given in lower doses in pill form that would allow women to take the therapy more frequently. In previous studies, that combination has been effective in some women with metastatic disease and was more likely to be effective when combined with Avastin. But I didn't see any new studies of this approach reported at this year's meeting.

On Tuesday, December 15, 2009, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Updates from the 2009 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Kathy Miller, M.D. and Kristin Brill, M.D., F.A.C.S. answered your questions about the latest updates on breast cancer risk, screening techniques, treatment options, and more.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Kathy D. Miller, M.D. is associate professor of medical oncology at Indiana University, and a Sheila D. Ward Scholar.

Kristin Brill, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a breast surgeon and clinical instructor at the Thomas Jefferson University Department of Surgery in Philadelphia, PA. She also maintains a practice in Cherry Hill, N.J. Dr. Brill is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. In addition, she has published breast cancer research in medical journals such as Annals of Plastic Surgery and Cancer, and she has presented research at the American Society of Clinical Oncology.