Incidence of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea associated with epirubicin, docetaxel and navelbine in younger breast cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
The rates of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea (CIA) associated with docetaxel-based regimens reported by previous studies are discordant. For navelbine-based chemotherapies, rates of CIA have seldom been reported.


METHODS
Of 170 premenopausal patients recruited between January 2003 and September 2008, 78 were treated with fluorouracil plus epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (FEC), 66 were treated with docetaxel plus epirubicin (TE), and 26 were treated with navelbine plus epirubicin (NE). Patient follow-up was carried up every 3-4 months during the first year, then every 9-12 months during subsequent years.


RESULTS
In univariate analysis, the rates of CIA were 44.87% for the FEC regimen, 30.30% for the TE regimen and 23.08% for the NE regimen (P = 0.068). Significant differences in the rates of CIA were not found between the FEC and TE treatment groups (P > 0.05), but were found between the FEC and NE treatment groups (P < 0.05). Furthermore, no significant differences were found between the TE and NE regimens (P > 0.05). Tamoxifen use was a significant predictor for CIA (P = 0.001), and age was also a significant predictor (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, age (P < 0.001), the type of chemotherapy regimens (P = 0.009) and tamoxifen use (P = 0.003) were all significant predictors.


CONCLUSIONS
Age and administration of tamoxifen were found to be significant predictive factors of CIA, whereas docetaxel and navelbine based regimens were not associated with higher rates of CIA than epirubicin-based regimen.
Zhou
Wen-Bin
WB
Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, 210029 Nanjing, PR China.
Yin
Hong
H
Liu
Xiao-An
XA
Zha
Xiao-Ming
XM
Chen
Lin
L
Dai
Jun-Cheng
JC
Tao
Ai-di
AD
Chen
Ling
L
Ma
Jing-Jing
JJ
Ling
Li-Jun
LJ
Wang
Shui
S
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000009:adverse effects; D000077143:Docetaxel; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000009:adverse effects; D043823:Taxoids / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D055815:Young Adult
D043823:Taxoids; D013629:Tamoxifen; D000077143:Docetaxel; D015251:Epirubicin; D014747:Vinblastine; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D005472:Fluorouracil