Fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide with either docetaxel or vinorelbine, with or without trastuzumab, as adjuvant treatments of breast cancer: final results of the FinHer Trial.
Author(s): Joensuu H, Bono P, Kataja V, Alanko T, Kokko R, Asola R, Utriainen T, Turpeenniemi-Hujanen T, Jyrkkio S, Moykkynen K, Helle L, Ingalsuo S, Pajunen M, Huusko M, Salminen T, Auvinen P, Leinonen H, Leinonen M, Isola J, Kellokumpu-Lehtinen PL
Affiliation(s): Department of Oncology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. heikki.joensuu@hus.fi
Publication date & source: 2009-12-01, J Clin Oncol., 27(34):5685-92. Epub 2009 Nov 2.
Publication type: Clinical Trial, Phase III; Multicenter Study; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PURPOSE: Docetaxel has not been compared with vinorelbine as adjuvant treatment of early breast cancer. Efficacy and long-term safety of a short course of adjuvant trastuzumab administered concomitantly with chemotherapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) -positive cancer are unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One thousand ten women with axillary node-positive or high-risk node-negative breast cancer were randomly assigned to receive three cycles of docetaxel or vinorelbine, followed in both groups by three cycles of fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FEC). Women with HER2-positive cancer (n = 232) were further assigned to either receive or not receive trastuzumab for 9 weeks with docetaxel or vinorelbine. The median follow-up time was 62 months after random assignment. RESULTS: Women assigned to docetaxel had better distant disease-free survival (DDFS) than those assigned to vinorelbine (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.66; 95% CI, 0.49 to 0.91; P = .010). In the subgroup of HER2-positive disease, patients treated with trastuzumab tended to have better DDFS than those treated with chemotherapy only (HR = 0.65; 95% CI, 0.38 to 1.12; P = .12; with adjustment for presence of axillary nodal metastases, HR = 0.57; P = .047). In exploratory analyses, docetaxel, trastuzumab, and FEC improved DDFS compared with docetaxel plus FEC (HR = 0.32; P = .029) and vinorelbine, trastuzumab, and FEC (HR = 0.31; P = .020). The median left ventricular ejection fraction of trastuzumab-treated patients remained unaltered during the 5-year follow-up; only one woman treated with trastuzumab was diagnosed with a heart failure. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant treatment with docetaxel improves DDFS compared with vinorelbine. A brief course of trastuzumab administered concomitantly with docetaxel is safe and effective and warrants further evaluation.
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