title: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with infusional 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin and cyclophosphamide (iFAC) in locally advanced breast cancer: an early response predicts good prognosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with infusional 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), adriamycin and cyclophosphamide (iFAC) in locally advanced breast cancer (LABC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-two LABC patients were treated with neoadjuvant iFAC chemotherapy including infusional 5-FU (1000 mg/m2, continuous intravenous infusion, days 1-3), adriamycin (40 mg/m2, intravenous bolus, day 1) and cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m2, intravenous bolus, day 1) every 3 weeks until maximum tumor response. Patients subsequently received surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormonal therapy as appropriate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Downstaging occurred in 71 of the 82 patients (86.6%). Seventy-two patients (67 patients with downstaging and five patients without downstaging) were resectable (resectability rate, 87.8%). The clinical response rate was 84.2%, with a complete response (CR) rate of 17.1% and a pathological CR rate of 7.8%. During 891 cycles of chemotherapy, the most common grade 3/4 hematological toxicity was leukopenia (36.0%). There were no treatment-related deaths. The median follow-up period was 51 months, with a median overall survival (OS) of 66 months, and a 5 year OS rate of 50.9% for all patients. The 5 year OS and disease-free survival (DFS) rates of the 64 patients who underwent surgery were 55.8% and 44.7%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with iFAC had a comparable response rate and DFS to the conventional bolus FAC regimen, with an acceptable toxicity in LABC using the AJCC 2002 staging system. An early response to neoadjuvant iFAC was a favorable prognostic factor.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Metastasis Research Center, Yonsei Cancer Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Y W
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Rha
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Jeung
authors.forename: W I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: C O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil