[French FAC vs FEC study in advanced breast cancer]

239 patients were evaluable: 116 in the FAC arm, 123 in the FEC arm. There is no significant difference in the therapeutic responses between 2 regimens: 52 +/- 9% vs 49 +/- 9%. Duration of responses (273 vs 303 d) and overall survival were also similar. FEC appears less myelotoxic, less toxic also in terms nausea, vomiting and grade 3 alopecia than the adriamycin combination. 9 patients required treatment cessation due to grade 2 cardiac dysfunction with 3 CHF, against no case in the epirubicin regimen.