Multimodality treatment of 128 patients with locally advanced breast carcinoma in the era of mammography screening using standard polychemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide: prognostic and therapeutic implications.
BACKGROUND
Locally advanced breast carcinoma is associated with a poor prognosis. With single treatment modalities, i.e., surgery and/or radiation therapy, results have been consistently dismal. However, several earlier reports have indicated improvement in survival with a combined modality approach, i.e., the utilization of systemic therapy.


METHODS
Between 1991 and 1994, 128 patients with locally advanced noninflammatory or inflammatory breast carcinoma (LABC) were treated with a combined modality strategy consisting of 4-6 courses of preoperative 5-fluorouracil (600 mg/m2), epirubicin (60 mg/m2), and cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m2) (FEC) every 3 weeks, followed by modified radical mastectomy or sector resection with axillary dissection in combination with postoperative radiotherapy and concomitant cyclophosphamide (850 mg/m2). Postoperatively, 3-5 adjuvant courses of FEC therapy were given. Nine percent of the patients received preoperative radiotherapy because the FEC therapy was not sufficiently effective. One-third of the patients were given tamoxifen (20 or 40 mg daily) at the end of the multimodal therapy.


RESULTS
Clinical responses were observed in 60% of the patients; 5% had complete responses (CR) and 55% had partial responses (PR). Stable disease (SD) was observed in 40%. No patient had progressive disease (PD) preoperatively. With a median follow-up of 37 months, the median disease free survival (DFS) and median overall survival (OS) were 29 and 54 months, respectively. The actuarial 5-year DFS and OS were 36% and 49%, respectively. The locoregional recurrence rate was 20%, and 53% of the patients experienced systemic relapse. Univariate analysis revealed a significant prognostic difference according to clinical stage of LABC in favor of less advanced stages. Clinical and biologic parameters linked to a significantly worse prognosis were the presence of inflammatory breast carcinoma and peau d'orange. There was a significant trend of worse prognosis for patients receiving below 60% and 75% of the intended dose intensity with reference to DFS and OS, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Standard dose preoperative and postoperative FEC therapy combined with surgery and radiotherapy in the era of mammography screening seem to yield results comparable to those achieved with other conventional strategies in the treatment of unscreened populations.
Karlsson
Y A
YA
Department of Oncology, Akademiska sjukhuset, University of Uppsala, Sweden.
Malmström
P O
PO
Hatschek
T
T
Fornander
T G
TG
Söderberg
M
M
Bengtsson
N O
NO
Jansson
T E
TE
Sjöberg
S M
SM
Bergh
J C
JC
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D015409:Mastectomy, Radical; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D013629:Tamoxifen; D015251:Epirubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil