@article {ARDAVANIS4493, author = {A. ARDAVANIS and D. TRYFONOPOULOS and G. ORPHANOS and G. IOANNIDIS and M. KARAMOUZIS and G. RIGATOS}, title = {First-line Chemotherapy with Fluorouracil-Epirubicin-Navelbine (FEN) Combination in Advanced Breast Cancer}, volume = {25}, number = {6C}, pages = {4493--4498}, year = {2005}, publisher = {International Institute of Anticancer Research}, abstract = {Background: A phase II study was carried out to determine the safety and efficacy of the combination of vinorelbine, epirubicin and 5-fluorouracil (FEN) as first-line chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer (BC). Patients and Methods: Thirty-four women with advanced BC, aged 32-75 years (median 59), previously untreated for recurrence, were enrolled in the study. The treatment consisted of fluorouracil 600 mg/m2 on day 1, epirubicin 75 mg/m2 on day 1 and vinorelbine 25 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, every 3 weeks, up to a maximum of 9 cycles. Results: The efficacy appeared favourable with 18 objective responses (3 complete and 15 partial) and 9 disease stabilizations, giving an overall response rate of 53\% (95\% CI: 36-70). The median progression-free and overall survival was 6 and 18 months, respectively (95\% CI: 4.8-7.8 and 16.2-22.2, respectively). Toxicity was acceptable; the main grade 3/4 toxicity was alopecia in 94\% of patients, neutropenia in 44\% and less frequently gastrointestinal toxicity (9\%), anaemia (6\%), mucositis (6\%), thrombocytopenia (3\%) and diarrhoea (3\%). No treatment-related death occurred. Conclusion: Our results suggest that FEN, as first-line chemotherapy, is an active and well-tolerated treatment for patients with advanced breast cancer. Copyright{\textcopyright} 2005 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved}, issn = {0250-7005}, URL = {https://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/25/6C/4493}, eprint = {https://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/25/6C/4493.full.pdf}, journal = {Anticancer Research} }