Novel Approach Combines Chemotherapy and Heat to Better Target Breast Lesions on the Chest Wall

Doctors John Park, Nancy Valente, Penny Sneed and associates at the UCSF Mount Zion Breast Care Center and the UCSF Department of Radiation Oncology are conducting a research study to determine the safety and effectiveness of using liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil) and hyperthermia to treat patients with advanced breast cancer.

Scientists at UCSF and the Liposomal Research Laboratories at California Pacific Medical Center have shown in laboratory studies that heating a tumor before giving liposomal chemotherapy significantly enhances the amount of drug that is delivered to the tumor. This, in turn, may lead to improved therapeutic outcomes. The advantage of this protocol is that, in addition to receiving potentially superior treatment of the chest wall lesion, other distant sites of cancer that may be in the body will be treated by the Doxil as well.

Doxil is a formulation of the approved anticancer drug doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin), and has itself been approved for the treatment of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma. In Doxil, the drug doxorubicin is enclosed in tiny, fatty bubbles called liposomes. Tests have shown that doxorubicin, when enclosed in these liposomes, appears to be more effectively delivered to the tumor with lesser amounts going to normal areas.

Hyperthermia, the other half of this study treatment, is the process of applying heat to tumor that is on the chest wall. Many breast cancer patients with chest wall involvement receive hyperthermia as part of their care. This is done via a microwave or ultrasound applicator that contacts the skin only through a bag or pillow of water that is maintained at a comfortable 41-43 degree celsius throughout the treatment.

For this study, patients will be treated with 4 cycles of concurrent hyperthermia and Doxil every 4 weeks. Eligible patients include those with metastatic breast cancer involving the chest wall, with or without other metastases.