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CompletedNCT00256360Updated Dec 9, 2014

Trial Exploring Feasibility of Densification and Optimal Sequencing of Postoperative Adjuvant Fluorouracil, Epirubicin Plus Cyclophosphamide (FEC) and Docetaxel Chemotherapy in Patients With High Risk Primary Operable Breast Cancer

A Phase 2 interventional study of dose dense with neulasta in Breast Cancer, sponsored by Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven. Completed at 1 site in Belgium. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 70 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2014-12-09.

Sponsored by Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
117
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 70 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

The rationale of this randomized phase II study is to investigate the feasibility of sequenced densified FEC and docetaxel based regimens in patients with primary operable high-risk breast cancer. Several phase III and phase II clinical trials showed the benefits of dose-dense therapy (Q2W) over conventional treatment in breast cancer, lymphoma and SCLC. The aim of the study is also to demonstrate that further shortening of treatment interval from 14 days to 10-11 days in FEC regimen is feasible and will not compromise patient's safety. The results of this randomized phase II study should serve as a basis for follow-up randomized phase III trial comparing conventional versus densified sequential FEC and docetaxel based regimens.

Read the detailed description

Arm A:

The three cycles of conventional FEC followed by three cycles of docetaxel regimen will be given at the following doses:

Fluorouracil 500 mg/m² by i.v. bolus or infusion, Epirubicin 100 mg/m² by 30 minutes i.v. infusion and Cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m² by i.v. bolus or infusion followed by docetaxel 100 mg/m2 i.v. infusion. All drugs will be administered intravenously on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle without support of growth factors.

Pegfilgrastim is only allowed in secondary prophylaxis: febrile neutropenia or prolonged grade IV neutropenia. In the event of febrile neutropenia or prolonged grade IV neutropenia, pegfilgrastim or filgrastim is given for treatment, and pegfilgrastim should be further administered on day 2 of each subsequent cycle of chemotherapy.

The total duration of treatment is 18 weeks.

Arm B:

The three cycles of conventional docetaxel followed by three cycles of FEC regimen will be given at the following doses:

Docetaxel 100 mg/m2 i.v. infusion followed by Fluorouracil 500 mg/m² by i.v. bolus or infusion, Epirubicin 100 mg/m² by 30 minutes i.v. infusion and Cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m² by i.v. bolus or infusion. All drugs will be administered intravenously on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle without support of growth factors.

Pegfilgrastim is only allowed in secondary prophylaxis: febrile neutropenia or prolonged grade IV neutropenia. In the event of febrile neutropenia or prolonged grade IV neutropenia, pegfilgrastim or filgrastim is given for treatment, and pegfilgrastim should be further administered on day 2 of each subsequent cycle of chemotherapy.

The total duration of treatment is 18 weeks.

Arm C:

The four cycles of dose-dense FEC followed by four cycles dose-dense docetaxel regimen will be given at the following doses:

Fluorouracil 375 mg/m² by i.v. bolus or infusion, Epirubicin 75 mg/m² by 30 minutes i.v. infusion and Cyclophosphamide 375 mg/m² by i.v. bolus or infusion followed by docetaxel 75 mg/m2. FEC regimen will be administered intravenously on Day 1 of each 10-11-day cycle and docetaxel will be given on Day 1 of each 14-day cycle.

Pegfilgrastim (Neulasta) fixed dose of 6 mg (0.6 mL of a 10 mg/mL solution) as a single subcutaneous injection will be given in on Day 2 of each study cycle.

The total duration of treatment is 14 weeks.

Arm D:

The four cycles of dose-dense docetaxel followed by four cycles dose-dense FEC regimen will be given at the following doses:

Docetaxel 75 mg/m² followed Fluorouracil 375 mg/m² by i.v. bolus or infusion, Epirubicin 75 mg/m² by 30 minutes i.v. infusion and Cyclophosphamide 375 mg/m² by i.v. bolus or infusion. Docetaxel will be given on Day 1 of each 14-day cycle and FEC regimen will be administered intravenously on Day 1 of each 10-11-day cycle.

Pegfilgrastim (Neulasta) fixed dose of 6 mg (0.6 mL of a 10 mg/mL solution) as a single subcutaneous injection will be given on Day 2 of each study cycle.

The total duration of treatment is 14 weeks.

02

Conditions studied

  • Breast Cancer

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Keywords

  • breast cancer
  • adjuvant
  • dose dense
  • docetaxel
  • pegfilgrastim
03

In context

Breast Neoplasms

12,544 studies on the registry are indexed under Breast Neoplasms; 2,892 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 117 is above the median of 72 across 9,303 interventional studies indexed under Breast Neoplasms.

Browse Breast Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven is the lead sponsor of 928 studies on the registry; 261 are open to participants now.

Of its 5 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 0 (0%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 70 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Histologically proven early breast cancer requiring adjuvant chemotherapy (lymph node positive or other features of high risk according to St-Gallen criteria)
  • Margins of resection histologically free of invasive carcinoma and ductal carcinoma in situ.
  • Radiotherapy performed according to center's policy and always follows completion of adjuvant chemotherapy
  • Performance status 0 to 1 on the ECOG scale (Appendix A)
  • The determination of ER and PgR is mandatory (immunohistochemical methods required; ER and/or PgR positivity is defined as > 1% of positive cells). Also determination of Her2neu is mandatory, either by immunohistochemistry or by FISH
  • Age > 18 years and age \<70 years (upper age limit based on the lack of safety data for this population).
  • Normal cardiac function (assessment of LVEF by MUGA scan or echocardiography above the lower limit of normal for the institution).
  • Adequate organ function (as defined by neutrophils > 1.5 x109/L, Platelets > 100 x 109/L, Hemoglobin > 10 g/dl, total bilirubin > 1 UNL, ASAT (SGOT) and ALAT (SGPT) > 1.5 UNL, alkaline phosphatase > 2.5 UNL, creatinine > 1.5 mg/dl (150 µmol/L)
  • Complete staging work-up within 2 months prior to registration. All patients will have bilateral mammography, chest X-ray (PA and lateral) and/or CT-scan, abdominal ultrasound and/or CT scan, bone scan. In case of positive bone scan suspicious for metastases, bone X-ray (or bone CT-scan on spinal hot spots) is mandatory to rule out the possibility of metastatic disease. Other tests may be performed as clinically indicated.
  • Negative pregnancy test (urine or serum) within 7 days prior to registration for all women of childbearing potential. Patients of childbearing potential must implement adequate non-hormonal measures to avoid pregnancy during study treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy and endocrine therapy). No pregnant or lactating patients are allowed.
  • Absence of any psychological, familial, sociological or geographical condition potentially hampering compliance with the study protocol and follow-up schedule; those conditions should be discussed with the patient before registration in the trial
  • Before patient registration/randomization, written informed consent must be given according to ICH/GCP, and national/local regulations.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria:

  • Metastatic disease (M1) or inoperable residual axillary disease
  • Prior systemic anticancer therapy for breast cancer (chemotherapy, hormone therapy of immunotherapy)
  • Prior radiation therapy for breast cancer.
  • Pre-existing motor or sensory neurotoxicity of a severity > grade 2 by NCI criteria.
  • Pregnant or lactating patients
  • Other serious illness or medical condition:
  • Congestive heart failure or unstable angina pectoris, previous history of myocardial infarction within 1 year from study entry, uncontrolled hypertension or high-risk uncontrolled arrhythmias.
  • History of significant neurological or psychiatric disorders that would prohibit the understanding and giving of informed consent.
  • Active uncontrolled infection
  • Active peptic ulcer, unstable diabetes mellitus.
  • Past or current history of other neoplasm except for curatively treated basal cell skin cancer or in situ carcinoma of the cervix.
  • Chronic treatment with steroids unless initiated > 6 months prior to study entry and at low dose (\< 20 mg methylprednisolone or equivalent)
  • Concurrent treatment with hormonal replacement therapy: this treatment should be stopped at least 15 days before study entry.
  • Concurrent treatment with other experimental drugs. Participation in another clinical trial with any investigational not marketed drug within 30 days prior to study entry
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
117 participants

Interventions

  • Drugdose dense with neulasta
06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. To assess the feasibility of FEC and docetaxel based sequential regimens given in dose-dense fashion (FEC every 10-11 days and docetaxel every 14 days) with pegfilgrastim in patients with high-risk primary breast cancer.

Secondary outcomes

  1. To assess the safety and tolerability of FEC and docetaxel regimens including (febrile) neutropenia

07

Study locations

1 site
  • UZ Gasthuisberg Leuven
    Leuven, B-3000, Belgium
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Dec 9, 2014, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00256360
Lead sponsor
Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven
Collaborators
St-Augustinus Wilrijk
Responsible party
prof. dr. Hans Wildiers (adjunct head of clinic, Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven) — Principal investigator
First posted
Nov 21, 2005
Start date
Sep 2005
Completion
May 2006
Last update
Dec 9, 2014

Study contacts

Hans Wildiers, MD, PhD
principal investigator · UZ Gasthuisberg Leuven
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Dec 2014. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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