Skip Navigation


Annals of Oncology Advance Access originally published online on September 7, 2005
Annals of Oncology 2005 16(11):1762-1771; doi:10.1093/annonc/mdi366
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
16/11/1762    most recent
mdi366v1
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (25)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Fountzilas, G.
Right arrow Articles by Dimopoulos, A.-M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Fountzilas, G.
Right arrow Articles by Dimopoulos, A.-M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 2005 European Society for Medical Oncology

Postoperative dose-dense sequential chemotherapy with epirubicin, followed by CMF with or without paclitaxel, in patients with high-risk operable breast cancer: a randomized phase III study conducted by the Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group

G. Fountzilas1,*, D. Skarlos2, U. Dafni3, H. Gogas4, E. Briasoulis5, D. Pectasides6, C. Papadimitriou7, C. Markopoulos4, A. Polychronis8, H. P. Kalofonos9, V. Siafaka5, P. Kosmidis10, E. Timotheadou1, D. Tsavdaridis11, D. Bafaloukos12, P. Papakostas13, E. Razis10, P. Makrantonakis14, G. Aravantinos15, C. Christodoulou2 and A.-M. Dimopoulos7

1 Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine, Thessaloniki; 2 Henry Dunant Hospital, Athens; 3 Laboratory of Biostatistics, University of Athens School of Nursing, Athens; 4 Laikon Hospital, Athens; 5 University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina; 6 University Hospital Attikon, Athens; 7 Department of Clinical Therapeutics, University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens; 8 6th Social Services Oncological Hospital (IKA), Athens; 9 University of Patras School of Medicine, Patras; 10 Hygeia Hospital, Athens; 11 IKA Hospital, Thessaloniki; 12 Metropolitan Hospital, Athens; 13 Ippokration Hospital, Athens; 14 Theagen on Cancer Hospital, Thessaloniki; 15 Agii Anargiri Cancer Hospital, Athens, Greece

* Correspondence to: Dr G. Fountzilas, Department of Medical Oncology, Papageorgiou Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. Tel/Fax: +30-2310-693466; E-mail: fountzil{at}med.auth.gr

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the effect of dose-dense sequential chemotherapy with or without paclitaxel primarily on disease-free survival (DFS) and secondarily on overall survival (OS) in patients with high-risk operable breast cancer.

Patients and methods: From June 1997 until November 2000, 604 patients with T1–3N1M0 or T3N0M0 tumors were randomized to three cycles of epirubicin 110 mg/m2 followed by three cycles of paclitaxel 250 mg/m2 followed by three cycles of ‘intensified’ CMF (cyclophosphamide 840 mg/m2, methotrexate 47 mg/m2 and fluorouracil 840 mg/m2) (group A), or to four cycles of epirubicin followed by four cycles of CMF, as in group A (group B). All cycles were given every 2 weeks with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support.

Results: A total of 595 patients were eligible. Median follow-up was 61.7 months for group A and 62 months for group B. The 3-year DFS was 80% in group A and 77% in group B. Survival rates were 93% and 90%, respectively. The effect of treatment on the hazard of death was different according to hormonal receptor status. More specifically, in patients with negative receptor status the hazard of death was significantly higher for group B (hazard ratio 2.42). Both regimens were well tolerated and severe acute side-effects were infrequent. No cases of severe cardiotoxicity or acute leukemia were recorded.

Conclusions: The present study failed to demonstrate a significant difference in DFS or OS between the two treatment groups. However, our study has shown clearly that high-dose paclitaxel can be safely incorporated to dose-dense sequential chemotherapy.

Key words: breast cancer, dose-dense chemotherapy, E-CMF, paclitaxel, randomized


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 JCOHome page
L. Gianni, L. Norton, N. Wolmark, T. M. Suter, G. Bonadonna, and G. N. Hortobagyi
Role of Anthracyclines in the Treatment of Early Breast Cancer
J. Clin. Oncol., October 1, 2009; 27(28): 4798 - 4808.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Ann OncolHome page
G. Fountzilas, U. Dafni, H. Gogas, H. Linardou, H. P. Kalofonos, E. Briasoulis, D. Pectasides, E. Samantas, D. Bafaloukos, G. P. Stathopoulos, et al.
Postoperative dose-dense sequential chemotherapy with epirubicin, paclitaxel and CMF in patients with high-risk breast cancer: safety analysis of the Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group randomized phase III trial HE 10/00
Ann. Onc., May 1, 2008; 19(5): 853 - 860.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 JCOHome page
M. De Laurentiis, G. Cancello, D. D'Agostino, M. Giuliano, A. Giordano, E. Montagna, R. Lauria, V. Forestieri, A. Esposito, L. Silvestro, et al.
Taxane-Based Combinations As Adjuvant Chemotherapy of Early Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials
J. Clin. Oncol., January 1, 2008; 26(1): 44 - 53.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Clin. Cancer Res.Home page
B. R.J. H. Bird and S. M. Swain
Cardiac Toxicity in Breast Cancer Survivors: Review of Potential Cardiac Problems
Clin. Cancer Res., January 1, 2008; 14(1): 14 - 24.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 JCOHome page
A. U. Buzdar
Adjuvant Chemotherapy for High-Risk Operable Breast Cancer
J. Clin. Oncol., May 1, 2007; 25(13): 1642 - 1644.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Ann OncolHome page
V Malamou-Mitsi, H Gogas, U Dafni, A Bourli, T Fillipidis, M Sotiropoulou, D Vlachodimitropoulos, S Papadopoulos, O Tzaida, G Kafiri, et al.
Evaluation of the prognostic and predictive value of p53 and Bcl-2 in breast cancer patients participating in a randomized study with dose-dense sequential adjuvant chemotherapy
Ann. Onc., October 1, 2006; 17(10): 1504 - 1511.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.