Weekly CAF chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer patients

In a prospective phase II study, 102 women with advanced breast cancer were treated with low doses of cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin and 5-fluorouracil (CAF) at weekly intervals by intravenous injection. Seventy-five patients were evaluable for treatment response and the overall response rate was 52% (95% confidence interval, 41-63%). Of the evaluable patients, 15% had complete response and 37% had partial response. The median survival after therapy was 15.6 months, the median time to progression was 6.8 months and the median duration of response was 9.1 months. The main toxicities were mild vomiting and moderate myelosuppression. There was only 1 patient who experienced heart failure. Weekly CAF appears to have an efficacy with tolerable side effects comparable to standard CAF with an every-3-week schedule.