A prospective randomized phase III trial comparing combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, fluorouracil, and either doxorubicin or epirubicin. French Epirubicin Study Group. 1988


Two hundred sixty-three patients with advanced breast cancer were randomized to two treatment regimens consisting of fluorouracil, 500 mg/m2; cyclophosphamide, 500 mg/m2; and either epirubicin (Farmorubicin, Farmitalia Carlo Erba SpA, Italy), 50 mg/m2 (FEC); or doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH), 50 mg/m2 (FAC), administered intravenously (IV) every 3 weeks. Two hundred thirty patients (FAC, 113; FEC, 117) were evaluable for response, and 244 patients for toxicity (FAC, 120; FEC, 124). The two groups were comparable with respect to age, menopausal status, disease-free interval to first recurrence, time from initial diagnosis to protocol activation, indicator lesions, performance status, and prior adjuvant therapy. Of 117 evaluable patients treated with FEC, 59 (50.4%) had a partial response (PR) or complete response (CR), 40 showed no change (NC), and 18 had progressive disease. Of 113 evaluable patients treated with FAC, 54 (52%) showed a remission, 30 NC, and 18 progression. There was no statistical difference between the two regimens in overall response rate, response rate according to tumor site, time to response, or duration of response. Median survival was 15 months for FEC and 18.2 months for FAC (not significant). In the 120 patients evaluable for toxicity treated with FAC, three episodes of congestive heart failure (CHF) were observed after 225, 350, and 550 mg/m2 of doxorubicin, respectively. Of the 124 evaluable patients treated with FEC, 25 received greater than 600 mg/m2 of epirubicin and no CHF was recorded. FEC induced significantly less neutropenia (P = .01), less nausea and vomiting (P less than .01), and less complete alopecia (P less than 10(-3) than did FAC. The results of this study demonstrate that FEC is as effective a regimen as FAC for the therapy of advanced breast cancer. Moreover, FEC was better tolerated than FAC in this patient population.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009325 Nausea An unpleasant sensation in the stomach usually accompanied by the urge to vomit. Common causes are early pregnancy, sea and motion sickness, emotional stress, intense pain, food poisoning, and various enteroviruses.
D009362 Neoplasm Metastasis The transfer of a neoplasm from one organ or part of the body to another remote from the primary site. Metastase,Metastasis,Metastases, Neoplasm,Metastasis, Neoplasm,Neoplasm Metastases,Metastases
D011446 Prospective Studies Observation of a population for a sufficient number of persons over a sufficient number of years to generate incidence or mortality rates subsequent to the selection of the study group. Prospective Study,Studies, Prospective,Study, Prospective
D011897 Random Allocation A process involving chance used in therapeutic trials or other research endeavor for allocating experimental subjects, human or animal, between treatment and control groups, or among treatment groups. It may also apply to experiments on inanimate objects. Randomization,Allocation, Random
D001943 Breast Neoplasms Tumors or cancer of the human BREAST. Breast Cancer,Breast Tumors,Cancer of Breast,Breast Carcinoma,Cancer of the Breast,Human Mammary Carcinoma,Malignant Neoplasm of Breast,Malignant Tumor of Breast,Mammary Cancer,Mammary Carcinoma, Human,Mammary Neoplasm, Human,Mammary Neoplasms, Human,Neoplasms, Breast,Tumors, Breast,Breast Carcinomas,Breast Malignant Neoplasm,Breast Malignant Neoplasms,Breast Malignant Tumor,Breast Malignant Tumors,Breast Neoplasm,Breast Tumor,Cancer, Breast,Cancer, Mammary,Cancers, Mammary,Carcinoma, Breast,Carcinoma, Human Mammary,Carcinomas, Breast,Carcinomas, Human Mammary,Human Mammary Carcinomas,Human Mammary Neoplasm,Human Mammary Neoplasms,Mammary Cancers,Mammary Carcinomas, Human,Neoplasm, Breast,Neoplasm, Human Mammary,Neoplasms, Human Mammary,Tumor, Breast
D002986 Clinical Trials as Topic Works about pre-planned studies of the safety, efficacy, or optimum dosage schedule (if appropriate) of one or more diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques selected according to predetermined criteria of eligibility and observed for predefined evidence of favorable and unfavorable effects. This concept includes clinical trials conducted both in the U.S. and in other countries. Clinical Trial as Topic
D003520 Cyclophosphamide Precursor of an alkylating nitrogen mustard antineoplastic and immunosuppressive agent that must be activated in the LIVER to form the active aldophosphamide. It has been used in the treatment of LYMPHOMA and LEUKEMIA. Its side effect, ALOPECIA, has been used for defleecing sheep. Cyclophosphamide may also cause sterility, birth defects, mutations, and cancer. (+,-)-2-(bis(2-Chloroethyl)amino)tetrahydro-2H-1,3,2-oxazaphosphorine 2-Oxide Monohydrate,B-518,Cyclophosphamide Anhydrous,Cyclophosphamide Monohydrate,Cyclophosphamide, (R)-Isomer,Cyclophosphamide, (S)-Isomer,Cyclophosphane,Cytophosphan,Cytophosphane,Cytoxan,Endoxan,NSC-26271,Neosar,Procytox,Sendoxan,B 518,B518,NSC 26271,NSC26271
D004317 Doxorubicin Antineoplastic antibiotic obtained from Streptomyces peucetius. It is a hydroxy derivative of DAUNORUBICIN. Adriamycin,Adriablastin,Adriablastine,Adriblastin,Adriblastina,Adriblastine,Adrimedac,DOXO-cell,Doxolem,Doxorubicin Hexal,Doxorubicin Hydrochloride,Doxorubicin NC,Doxorubicina Ferrer Farm,Doxorubicina Funk,Doxorubicina Tedec,Doxorubicine Baxter,Doxotec,Farmiblastina,Myocet,Onkodox,Ribodoxo,Rubex,Urokit Doxo-cell,DOXO cell,Hydrochloride, Doxorubicin,Urokit Doxo cell
D005260 Female Females
D005472 Fluorouracil A pyrimidine analog that is an antineoplastic antimetabolite. It interferes with DNA synthesis by blocking the THYMIDYLATE SYNTHETASE conversion of deoxyuridylic acid to thymidylic acid. 5-FU,5-FU Lederle,5-FU Medac,5-Fluorouracil,5-Fluorouracil-Biosyn,5-HU Hexal,5FU,Adrucil,Carac,Efudex,Efudix,Fluoro-Uracile ICN,Fluoroplex,Fluorouracil Mononitrate,Fluorouracil Monopotassium Salt,Fluorouracil Monosodium Salt,Fluorouracil Potassium Salt,Fluorouracil-GRY,Fluorouracile Dakota,Fluorouracilo Ferrer Far,Fluoruracil,Fluracedyl,Flurodex,Haemato-FU,Neofluor,Onkofluor,Ribofluor,5 FU Lederle,5 FU Medac,5 Fluorouracil,5 Fluorouracil Biosyn,5 HU Hexal,Dakota, Fluorouracile,Fluoro Uracile ICN,Fluorouracil GRY,Haemato FU

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