Phase III trial of doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide (AC), docetaxel, and alternating AC and docetaxel as front-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer: Japan Clinical Oncology Group trial (JCOG9802).
BACKGROUND
This randomized, multicenter, phase III trial compared doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide (AC), single-agent docetaxel (D), and an alternating regimen of AC and docetaxel (AC-D) as first-line chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer (MBC).


METHODS
Patients with MBC resistant to endocrine therapy were entered in a randomized study to receive either six cycles of AC (doxorubicin 40 mg/m2 plus cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2), D (60 mg/m2), or alternating treatment with AC-D (i.e. three cycles of AC and three cycles of D). Treatment was administered every 3 weeks.


RESULTS
A total of 441 patients were entered in a randomized study. Response rates were 30% for AC, 41% for D, and 35% for AC-D. The median times to treatment failure (TTFs) were 6.4, 6.4, and 6.7 months (one-sided log-rank test, P = 0.13 for AC versus D, P = 0.14 for AC versus AC-D) and median overall survival (OS) was 22.6, 25.7, and 25.0 months (P = 0.09 for AC versus D, P = 0.13 for AC versus AC-D) in the AC, D, and AC-D, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
There was no difference in the TTF among the three arms. However, there was a trend toward a better response and better OS in the D than in the AC.
Katsumata
N
N
Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. nkatsuma@ncc.go.jp
Watanabe
T
T
Minami
H
H
Aogi
K
K
Tabei
T
T
Sano
M
M
Masuda
N
N
Andoh
J
J
Ikeda
T
T
Shibata
T
T
Takashima
S
S
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013997:Time Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide