FEC trial

Trial details

Trial 1

A randomised trial comparing cyclophosphamide, methotrexate & 5-fluorouracil (CMF) with 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide (FEC) in patients with node negative primary breast cancer.

Trial 2

A randomised trial comparing cyclophosphamide, methotrexate & 5-fluorouracil (CMF) with 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide (FEC) in premenopausal patients with node positive primary breast cancer.

The primary aim of these studies was to compare disease-free-survival and overall survival in patients treated with CMF, with that observed in patients treated with FEC. The Node Positive trial (N+) recruited 759 pre-menopausal patients between 1984-1992 and the Node Negative trial (N-) recruited 950 between 1990-2000.

A meta-analysis of the two studies is currently being undertaken and both studies remain in active follow-up.

These are International Collaborative Cancer Group (ICCG) trials (C/6/89 and C/2/84).

Publications and presentations

Marty ME, Coombes RC, Peckitt C, Perez-Lopez FR, Tres A, Morvan F, Tubiana-Mathieu N, Espie M, Bliss JM, on behalf of the International Collaborative Cancer Group. Prospective meta-analysis of randomised trials of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate & fluorouracil (CMF) vs fluorouracil, epirubicin, & cyclophosphamide (FEC) chemotherapy in early breast cancer. J. Clin. Oncol. 2004;23(14S):#592

Marty M, Hall E, Wils J, Morvan F, Espie M, Bliss JM, Coombes RC, on behalf of the International Collaborative Cancer Group. Evaluation of tolerability of CMF versus FEC in a randomized trial in node negative poor risk primary breast cancer patients. J. Clin. Oncol. 2002;20:15S #1358

Coombes RC, Bliss JM, Wils J, Morvan F, Espie M, Amadori D, Gambrosier P, Richards M, Aapro M, Villar-Grimalt A, McArdle C, Perez-Lopez FR, Vassilopoulos P, Ferreira EP, Chilvers CE, Coombes G, Woods EM, Marty M. Adjuvant cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil versus fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide chemotherapy in premenopausal women with axillary node-positive operable breast cancer: results of a randomized trial. The International Collaborative Cancer Group. J. Clin. Oncol. 1996;14(1):35-45

First interim results of a randomised trial comparing FEC with CMF in premenopausal patients with node positive resectable breast cancer. Proceeding Adjuvant Therapy of Primary Breast Cancer - 4th International Conference; 1995; St Gallen.

Marty M, Bliss JM, Coombes RC, Wils J, Amadori D, Gambrosier P, Richards M, Aapro M, Villar-Grimalt A, McArdle C. Cyclophosphamide (c), methotrexate (m), fluorouracil (f) (cmf) vs f-epirubicin(e)-c (fec) chemotherapy in premenopausal womenwith node positive breast cancer: results of a randomized trial (meeting abstract). Proc ASCO 1994;13:A50

Wils J, Coombes RC, Marty M, Bliss J, Woods E. Design and rationale of a randomised comparison of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil vs fluorouracil, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide in node-positive premenopausal women with operable breast cancer. A trial of the International Collaborative Cancer Group (ICCG). Drugs 1993;45 (Suppl 2):46-50

Wils J, Bliss J, Marty M, Aapro M, Amadori D, Beretta G, McArdle C, Perez-Lopez FR, Richards M, Vassilopoulos P, Villar-Grimalt A, Chilvers CED, Coombes G, Woods E, Coombes RC, for the International Collaborative Cancer G. Second interim analyses of a randomised study comparing FEC with CMF in premenopausal patients with node positive resectable breast cancer. Ann. Oncol. 1992;3(Suppl 5):202 #915

Coombes RC, Bliss JM, Marty M, Wils J, Amadori D, Beretta G, Milla A, Aapro MS, Villar-Grimalt A, McArdle C et al. A randomized trial comparing adjuvant FEC with CMFin premenopausal patients with node-positive resectable breast cancer. Proc ASCO 1991.