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Comparison of Combination Chemotherapy Regimens in Treating Older Women Who Have Undergone Surgery for Breast Cancer

Phase 3
Completed
Conditions
Breast Cancer
Interventions
Drug: Standard Treatment
Registration Number
NCT00024102
Lead Sponsor
Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology
Brief Summary

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug and giving them in different ways after surgery may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known which chemotherapy regimen is more effective in treating older women with breast cancer.

PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying different combination chemotherapy regimens to see how well they work in treating older women who have undergone surgery for breast cancer.

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES:

* Compare the effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy comprising standard cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil (CMF) or doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC) vs oral capecitabine, in terms of disease-free and overall survival, in elderly women with operable adenocarcinoma of the breast.

* Compare the quality of life and physical functioning of patients treated with these regimens.

* Compare the toxicity of these regimens in these patients.

* Evaluate the adherence of older patients to an oral chemotherapy regimen.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to age (65 to 69 vs 70 to 80 vs over 80), performance status (0-1 vs 2), and HER2 status (positive vs negative vs unknown). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

* Arm I: Patients with insufficient left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) are assigned to group A. Patients with normal LVEF are assigned to group A or B based on physician/patient choice.

* Group A (CMF): Patients receive oral cyclophosphamide (CTX) daily on days 1-14 and methotrexate IV and fluorouracil IV on days 1 and 8. Treatment repeats every 4 weeks for 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

* Group B (AC): Patients receive doxorubicin IV and CTX IV on day 1. Treatment repeats every 3 weeks for 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

* Arm II: Patients receive oral capecitabine twice daily on days 1-14. Treatment repeats every 3 weeks for 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Beginning within 12 weeks after treatment in arm I or II, patients with estrogen or progesterone receptor-positive disease receive oral tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor daily for 5 years.

Beginning 4-6 weeks after treatment in arm I or II, eligible patients who previously underwent breast conservation surgery undergo radiotherapy.

Quality of life is assessed at baseline; at 6 weeks (group B), 9 weeks (arm II), or 12 weeks (group A); and then at 1, 12, 18, and 24 months after study.

Drug adherence is assessed at 9 weeks during study (arm II).

Patients are followed at 1 month, every 6 months for 2 years, and then annually for 15 years.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 600-1,800 patients (300-900 per treatment arm) will be accrued for this study within 2-6 years.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
633
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Standard ChemotherapyStandard TreatmentPatient/Physician choice of cyclophosphamide + MTX + 5-FU OR Cyclophosphamide + doxorubicin
CapecitabinecapecitabineTreatment with capecitabine
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Relapse-free Survival Rates at 2.4 Yearsrandomization until date of first event, or date last known to be event free if no event was reported (up to 5 years)

Percentage of participants who were alive and relapse-free at time of analysis were counted as "Alive without relapse" at 2.4 years. Participants who had a first local recurrence, first distant metastasis or death from any cause were counted as "relapse, first occurrence". These rates were estimated using the Kaplan Meier method

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Overall Survival Rate at 2.4 YearsTime from registration to death (up to 15 years)

Percentage of patients who were alive at 2.4 years. This rate was estimated using the Kaplan Meier method.

Number of Participants With Grade 3, 4 or 5 Adverse Event at Least Possibly Related to Treatment.Reported during protocol treatment after each cycle

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC) Version 2.0 was used to evaluate toxicity.

Grade 1: Mild; Grade 2: Moderate; Grade 3: Severe; Grade 4: Life Threatening; Grade 5: Death.

Trial Locations

Locations (329)

University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center

🇺🇸

Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Mobile Infirmary Medical Center

🇺🇸

Mobile, Alabama, United States

Mayo Clinic Scottsdale

🇺🇸

Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

Arizona Cancer Center at University of Arizona Health Sciences Center

🇺🇸

Tucson, Arizona, United States

St. Joseph's Mercy Cancer Center

🇺🇸

Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States

Glendale Memorial Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center

🇺🇸

Glendale, California, United States

Saint Rose Hospital

🇺🇸

Hayward, California, United States

Moores UCSD Cancer Center

🇺🇸

La Jolla, California, United States

USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital

🇺🇸

Los Angeles, California, United States

Leavey Cancer Center at Northridge Hospital Medical Center

🇺🇸

Northridge, California, United States

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University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center
🇺🇸Birmingham, Alabama, United States

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