Docetaxel Followed by CEF (Cyclophosphamide, Epirubicin and 5-Fluorouracil) Compared to Docetaxel and Capecitabine Followed by CEX (Cyclophosphamide, Epirubicin and Capecitabine) as Adjuvant Treatment for Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Clinical Trial

Official title: A Randomized Phase III Study Comparing Docetaxel Followed by Cyclophosphamide, Epirubicin and 5-FU to Docetaxel With Capecitabine Followed by Cyclophosphamide, Epirubicin and Capecitabine as Adjuvant Treatment for Early Breast Cancer

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

This study compares two chemotherapy regimens as adjuvant treatment for breast cancer. The study participants are randomly allocated to receive either 3 cycles of docetaxel followed by 3 cycles of CEF (cyclophosphamide, epirubicin and 5-fluorouracil) or to receive 3 cycles of docetaxel plus capecitabine followed by 3 cycles of CEX (cyclophosphamide, epirubicin and capecitabine). The study participants are required to to have a medium to high risk for breast cancer recurrence. The primary aim of the study is to investigate whether addition of capecitabine to a standard taxane/anthracycline regimen will influence recurrence-free survival.

Clinical Trial Description

This is an open-label, two-arm, randomized multi-center phase III trial to compare efficacy and safety of a taxane-anthracycline regimen to a taxane-anthracycline-capecitabine regimen as adjuvant treatment of early breast cancer with an intermediate-to-high risk of cancer recurrence.

Patients diagnosed with early breast cancer with an estimated risk of 25% or greater for distant recurrence within 5 years from the diagnosis will be randomly allocated to one of the following 2 arms (1:1):

• Arm A -- 3 cycles of docetaxel 80 mg/m² intravenous (i.v.) (repeated on day [d.] 22); followed by 3 cycles of CEF (cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 i.v., epirubicin 75mg/m² i.v., 5-fluorouracil 600 mg/m2 i.v., repeated on d. 22)

• Arm B -- 3 cycles of TX (docetaxel 60 mg/m² i.v., capecitabine twice daily 900 mg/m² given orally on days 1-15 of the cycle; cycle repeated on d. 22); followed by 3 cycles of CEX (cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 i.v., epirubicin 75mg/m² i.v, capecitabine twice daily 900 mg/m² on days 1-15 of the cycle; cycle repeated on d. 22)

Locoregional radiotherapy is given according to the institutional practice after completing adjuvant chemotherapy (Tx3/CEFx3 or TXx3/CEXx3).

All patients with ER and/or PgR positive disease will receive adjuvant endocrine therapy. This will consist of 1 mg p.o. anastrozole (ArimidexR) given for 60 months in women who were post-menopausal prior to chemotherapy (no menstrual periods for > 6 months) or of tamoxifen 20 mg p.o. for 60 months in women who were pre-menopausal prior to chemotherapy.

Use of trastuzumab is allowed in HER-2 positive disease.

Patients will be followed up for 5 years post-randomization. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Breast Cancer
• Breast Neoplasms

• NCT number: NCT00114816
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Finnish Breast Cancer Group
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 3
• Start date: January 2004
• Completion date: April 2007