title: Tolerability and safety of classic cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil treatment in Japanese patients with early breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few reports have addressed the feasibility and safety of classic Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate, and Fluorouracil (CMF) therapy in Japanese female breast cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four Japanese patients who received classic CMF, identical to the originally described treatment regimen were studied in terms of treatment dose, treatment delay, and toxicity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Classic CMF was not discontinued in any of the cases. The median delay in treatment was 14 days, and the mean administered dose of cyclophosphamide was 98.2% of the planned dose. None of the patients suffered severe side-effects such as febrile neutropenia; however, in 22 patients in whom the effect of CMF on hair loss could be assessed, 7 (31.8%) had to wear hats or wigs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Classic CMF is a feasible and safe regimen in Japanese breast cancer patients. In Japan, this regimen is still available for some specific groups of early breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Oncology, Cancer Institute Hospital, 3-10-6 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8550, Japan. ktada@jfcr.or.jp
authors.forename: Keiichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tada
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Kohtaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iijima
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyagi
authors.forename: Seiichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Masujiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makita
authors.forename: Takuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwase
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshimoto
authors.forename: Fujio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kasumi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate