Fluorouracil and leucovorin in advanced breast cancer

It is clear from the studies summarized above that the combination of leucovorin and 5-FU can salvage 15-20% of heavily-pretreated patients with advanced breast cancer. In previously-untreated patients, the combination generates objective responses in over one third of women with a very modest and acceptable toxicity profile. It is also clear that the addition of mitoxantrone or cisplatin to 5-FU and leucovorin produces very effective regimens, that, at least in the case of the platinum combination, may be quite active in patients who have failed therapy with an anthracycline. All of these recently-completed trials, suggest that studies currently in progress aimed at improving the biochemical modulation of the fluoropyrimidines have real promise for enhancing the therapy of patients with advanced breast cancer further.