title: Randomised trial of chemo-endocrine therapy, endocrine therapy, and mastectomy alone in postmenopausal patients with operable breast cancer and axillary node metastasis.
abstract: Adjuvant therapy after total mastectomy and axillary clearance in postmenopausal women with breast cancer and axillary node metastasis was assessed; chemo-endocrine therapy (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, fluorouracil, prednisone, and tamoxifen; CMFp + T) was compared with endocrine therapy (prednisone and tamoxifen; p + T), and with no adjuvant treatment in 463 patients aged less than or equal to 65 years. Endocrine therapy was compared with no adjuvant therapy in 320 patients aged 66-80 years. At median follow-up of 36 months, disease-free survival was significantly longer in CMFp + T patients than in p + T or control patients; p + T also significantly increased disease-free survival. There were no significant differences in overall survival between the randomised groups. In analyses of patterns of first failure, chemo-endocrine therapy reduced local, regional, and distant relapses, whereas endocrine therapy reduced local and regional recurrences only.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008408:Mastectomy; D008593:Menopause; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D013629:Tamoxifen; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate