Safety and therapeutic effect of metronomic chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide and celecoxib in advanced breast cancer patients

Metronomic chemotherapy (MCT), the chronic administration, at regular intervals, of low doses of chemotherapeutic drugs, without extended rest periods, allows chronic treatment with therapeutic efficacy and low toxicity. Our pre-clinical results suggested that combined MCT with cyclophosphamide (CY) and celecoxib (CEL) could inhibit breast cancer growth. The aim of this study was to determine the toxicity, safety and efficacy of the oral chronic administration of CY 50 mg p.o. daily, plus CEL 400 mg (200 mg p.o. bid) in advanced breast cancer patients (ABCP). The therapeutic response consisted in stable disease in a high proportion of patients and one partial response. The overall clinical benefit rate obtained was 66.7%. Toxicity was low. Evaluation of quality of life showed no changes during the response period. MCT with CY + Cel is safe and shows therapeutic effect in ABCP.