title: A pilot study of accelerated cyclophosphamide, epirubicin and 5-fluorouracil plus granulocyte colony stimulating factor as adjuvant therapy in early breast cancer.
abstract: 32 consecutive early breast cancer patients were treated to evaluate the feasibility of an accelerated CEF regimen (cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2, epirubicin 60 mg/m2 and 5-fluorouracil 600 mg/m2) given intravenously every 2 weeks for six cycles together with granulocyte colony stimulating factor, 5 micrograms/kg/day subcutaneously from day 4 to day 11. One hundred and eighty two out of 192 planned cycles (95%) were administered. Toxicity was mild: no cases of grade IV non-haematological toxicity and only one episode of grade IV granulocytopenia were observed. Delays or dose reductions of anti-neoplastic drugs occurred in 14 cycles (7.7%). The mean duration of six cycles of treatment was 71 days (planned 70) and 93% of average planned dose intensity was actually administered. The short course CEF therapy is a feasible, well tolerated outpatient chemotherapy regimen, allowing a 46% increase in dose intensity compared with a standard CEF regimen given every 3 weeks. A randomised study comparing this regimen to a standard CEF regimen is now in progress in early breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Medical Oncology, Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro (IST), Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Del Mastro
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Garrone
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sertoli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Canavese
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Catturich
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guenzi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosso
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Venturini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects
chemical_list: D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D015251:Epirubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil