Intensive postoperative chemoimmunotherapy for patients with stage II and stage III breast cancer

Cancer. 1978 Mar;41(3):1064-75. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(197803)41:3<1064::aid-cncr2820410340>3.0.co;2-q.

Abstract

For the past 34 months, a combination of 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, and BCG (FAC-BCG) was evaluated as adjuvant treatment in stage II and III breast cancer patients with positive axillary nodes. In the group of 131 patients receiving FAC-BCG, the estimated proportion remaining disease-free at 2 years from surgery was 91% compared to an estimated 69% in a group of 151 historical control patients (p less than .01). This advantage was statistically significant in all subgroups except for patients with primary tumor less than 3 cm and for patients with less than 4 positive nodes. Estimated 2-year survival rates were 9,6% for FAC-BCG patients and 86% for control (p = .02). Treatment was well tolerated. Adjuvant FAC-BCG seems effective in prolonging disease-free interval and early survival in patients with stage II and III breast cancer. Its long term efficacy will require longer follow-ups.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • BCG Vaccine / adverse effects
  • BCG Vaccine / therapeutic use
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Cyclophosphamide / therapeutic use
  • Doxorubicin / therapeutic use
  • Drug Therapy, Combination / adverse effects
  • Evaluation Studies as Topic
  • Female
  • Fluorouracil / therapeutic use
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Recurrence

Substances

  • BCG Vaccine
  • Doxorubicin
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Fluorouracil