title: Epirubicin as adjuvant therapy in breast cancer.
abstract: The past two decades have seen the introduction of routine adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer. Since the cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil (CMF) regimen was shown to improve disease-free and overall survival, adjuvant chemotherapy has become standard for many women. Anthracyclines, which are active in metastatic breast cancer, were then incorporated into adjuvant regimens and the meta-analysis of anthracycline trials has shown these regimens to be superior to CMF. Epirubicin (Ellence, Pharmacia), the 4'-epimer of doxorubicin, produces similar response rates to doxorubicin in the metastatic setting, and has been shown to have a better toxicity profile. In this review, the data relating to the efficacy of epirubicin in the adjuvant setting, including data from the recently presented National Epirubicin Adjuvant Trial, will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Cambridge, Department of Oncology, Addenbrookes Hospital (Box 193), Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, UK. hme22@cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Earl
authors.forename: Mahesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iddawela
mesh_terms: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D015251:Epirubicin