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NCT00929591 · CITED IN SOURCE DOCUMENTS

SWOG-8814 Tamoxifen With or Without Combination Chemotherapy in Postmenopausal Women Who Have Undergone Surgery for Breast Cancer

An NCI or FDA source cites this study. A citation does not establish that it applies to an individual diagnosis.

Phase
PHASE3
Status at capture
COMPLETED
Registry last update
2013-01-24

RATIONALE: Estrogen can cause the growth of breast cancer cells. Hormone therapy using tamoxifen may fight breast cancer by blocking the use of estrogen by the tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and fluorouracil, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. It is not yet known whether giving tamoxifen alone is more effective in treating breast cancer than giving tamoxifen together with chemotherapy or after chemotherapy. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying giving tamoxifen with or without combination chemotherapy to compare how well they work in treating postmenopausal women who have undergone surgery for breast cancer.

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What did the study report?

Outcomes, safety and baseline populations are separate source sections. Quality-of-life measures appear under their original outcome titles.

No posted result sections were captured. Registered plans do not establish that a treatment works.

Who could take part
eligibility Criteria
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven adenocarcinoma of the breast No apocrine, adenoidcystic, or squamous carcinomas or sarcomas Pathologic Stage T1-3a, pathologic N1-2 (clinical N0-1), M0: Rendered free of gross tumor at surgery Primary tumor movable with respect to chest wall Axillary nodes movable with respect to chest wall and each other No preoperative edema of the arm, peau d'orange, skin ulceration, or inflammatory lesions One or more positive lymph nodes required No positive deep mastectomy margins or clinical skin involvement (focal microscopic dermal invasion or focal microscopic dermal lymphatic involvement allowed) No evidence of metastatic disease on pretherapy studies (including chest x-ray, bone scan, and mammogram) No bilateral invasive tumors Patients who had noninvasive ductal carcinoma in situ of the opposite breast and underwent prophylactic contralateral mastectomy are eligible Hormone receptor status: Positive for estrogen and/or progesterone receptors (at least 10 fmol/mg protein or unequivocally positive immunocytochemical assay for one or both) Participation in SWOG-8854 (flow cytometry) recommended PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Any age Sex: Females only Menopausal status: Postmenopausal as defined by 1 or more of the following: Bilateral oophorectomy at least 2 months prior to diagnosis of breast cancer (with or without estrogen therapy following surgery) Prior hysterectomy with at least 1 ovary remaining and either over 60 years old or with a postmenopausal FSH level Natural menopause (last menstrual period at least 1 year prior to registration or 4-12 months prior to registration with a postmenopausal FSH level) Treated with postmenopausal estrogen therapy and either over 55 years old or with a postmenopausal FSH level Performance status: Not specified Hematopoietic: WBC at least 3,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no more than 1.2 x normal Alkaline phosphatase no more than 1.2 x normal SGOT or SGPT no more than 1.2 x normal Renal: Creatinine no more than 2.0 mg/dL Cardiovascular: No uncontrolled hypertension No history of ischemic heart disease or CHF Normal ejection fraction by MUGA (required only if deemed clinically necessary for assessment) Other: No medical condition that would preclude protocol therapy: No severe diabetes No active ulcer disease No significant psychiatric disease No second malignancy within 5 years except: Adequately treated nonmelanomatous skin cancer Curatively treated Stage I cervical carcinoma Pretreatment mammogram and chest x-ray completed no more than 3 months preoperatively; blood/body fluid analyses to determine eligibility completed within 14 days prior to registration; prestudy bone scan completed within 12 weeks prior to registration and/or within 4 weeks prior to surgery PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: No prior hormonal therapy (except for up to 14 days of tamoxifen stopped prior to registration) Prior estrogen- and/or progesterone-containing hormone preparations for nononcologic therapy allowed, but must be discontinued prior to registration Postmenopausal estrogen therapy should be discontinued in all patients at the time of diagnosis of breast cancer Radiotherapy: Postoperative chest wall and/or regional lymph node irradiation allowed for mastectomy patients (at discretion of the physician) either prior to registration or on protocol for any of the following: Tumor greater than 5 cm in diameter 4 or more positive nodes Extranodal extension of tumor into the axillary fat No radiotherapy for any other reason in mastectomy patients Postoperative radiotherapy either prior to registration, during tamoxifen, or after completion of chemotherapy required for lumpectomy patients Radiotherapy must be completed (if it is to be given before chemotherapy) prior to registration No immediate radiotherapy after randomization to chemotherapy Surgery: Radical, modified radical, or breast-sparing surgical procedure with at least a level I and II axillary dissection and analysis of at least 6 nodes required within 12 weeks prior to registration Lumpectomy must include: Total excisional biopsy with rim of normal breast tissue Microscopically negative margins Level I and II axillary dissection Tumor no more than 5 cm in greatest diameter Clinical and mammographic examination demonstrating absence of multicentric lesions Type of surgery, number of nodes examined, number of positive nodes, and size of the primary tumor (size of the largest tumor if more than 1 mass) must be recorded
healthy Volunteers
false
minimum Age
18 Years
sex
FEMALE
std Ages
  1. ADULT
  2. OLDER_ADULT
Treatment arms and interventions
arm Groups
  1. description
    tamoxifen for five years
    intervention Names
    1. Drug: endocrine therapy
    2. Drug: tamoxifen citrate
    3. Radiation: brachytherapy
    4. Radiation: low-LET electron therapy
    5. Radiation: low-LET photon therapy
    6. Radiation: radiation therapy
    label
    tamoxifen for five years
    type
    ACTIVE_COMPARATOR
  2. description
    intermittent CAF X 6 courses followed by tamoxifen for five years
    intervention Names
    1. Drug: cyclophosphamide
    2. Drug: doxorubicin hydrochloride
    3. Drug: endocrine therapy
    4. Drug: endocrine-modulating drug therapy
    5. Drug: fluorouracil
    6. Drug: tamoxifen citrate
    7. Radiation: brachytherapy
    8. Radiation: low-LET electron therapy
    9. Radiation: low-LET photon therapy
    10. Radiation: radiation therapy
    label
    CAF followed by tamoxifen for five years
    type
    EXPERIMENTAL
  3. description
    intermittent CAF X 6 courses with concurrent tamoxifen for five years
    intervention Names
    1. Drug: cyclophosphamide
    2. Drug: doxorubicin hydrochloride
    3. Drug: endocrine therapy
    4. Drug: endocrine-modulating drug therapy
    5. Drug: fluorouracil
    6. Drug: tamoxifen citrate
    7. Radiation: brachytherapy
    8. Radiation: low-LET electron therapy
    9. Radiation: low-LET photon therapy
    10. Radiation: radiation therapy
    label
    CAF with concurrent tamoxifen for five years
    type
    EXPERIMENTAL
interventions
  1. arm Group Labels
    1. CAF followed by tamoxifen for five years
    2. CAF with concurrent tamoxifen for five years
    name
    cyclophosphamide
    type
    DRUG
  2. arm Group Labels
    1. CAF followed by tamoxifen for five years
    2. CAF with concurrent tamoxifen for five years
    name
    doxorubicin hydrochloride
    type
    DRUG
  3. arm Group Labels
    1. CAF followed by tamoxifen for five years
    2. CAF with concurrent tamoxifen for five years
    3. tamoxifen for five years
    name
    endocrine therapy
    type
    DRUG
  4. arm Group Labels
    1. CAF followed by tamoxifen for five years
    2. CAF with concurrent tamoxifen for five years
    name
    endocrine-modulating drug therapy
    type
    DRUG
  5. arm Group Labels
    1. CAF followed by tamoxifen for five years
    2. CAF with concurrent tamoxifen for five years
    name
    fluorouracil
    type
    DRUG
  6. arm Group Labels
    1. CAF followed by tamoxifen for five years
    2. CAF with concurrent tamoxifen for five years
    3. tamoxifen for five years
    name
    tamoxifen citrate
    type
    DRUG
  7. arm Group Labels
    1. CAF followed by tamoxifen for five years
    2. CAF with concurrent tamoxifen for five years
    3. tamoxifen for five years
    name
    brachytherapy
    type
    RADIATION
  8. arm Group Labels
    1. CAF followed by tamoxifen for five years
    2. CAF with concurrent tamoxifen for five years
    3. tamoxifen for five years
    name
    low-LET electron therapy
    type
    RADIATION
  9. arm Group Labels
    1. CAF followed by tamoxifen for five years
    2. CAF with concurrent tamoxifen for five years
    3. tamoxifen for five years
    name
    low-LET photon therapy
    type
    RADIATION
  10. arm Group Labels
    1. CAF followed by tamoxifen for five years
    2. CAF with concurrent tamoxifen for five years
    3. tamoxifen for five years
    name
    radiation therapy
    type
    RADIATION
Study design
allocation
RANDOMIZED
intervention Model
PARALLEL
masking Info
masking
NONE
primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Enrollment
count
1558
type
ACTUAL
Registered outcome plans (not posted results)
primary Outcomes
  1. measure
    Disease-free survival
    time Frame
    eight years
  2. measure
    Overall survival
    time Frame
    eight years
  3. measure
    Toxicity/morbidity of treatment
    time Frame
    during treatment
Full study description
brief Summary
RATIONALE: Estrogen can cause the growth of breast cancer cells. Hormone therapy using tamoxifen may fight breast cancer by blocking the use of estrogen by the tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and fluorouracil, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. It is not yet known whether giving tamoxifen alone is more effective in treating breast cancer than giving tamoxifen together with chemotherapy or after chemotherapy. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying giving tamoxifen with or without combination chemotherapy to compare how well they work in treating postmenopausal women who have undergone surgery for breast cancer.
detailed Description
OBJECTIVES: I. Compare disease-free survival and overall survival of postmenopausal women with node-positive, estrogen and/or progesterone receptor-positive adenocarcinoma of the breast randomly assigned to postoperative adjuvant treatment with long-term (5 years) tamoxifen vs. CAF (cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin/fluorouracil) plus concurrent and long-term tamoxifen vs. CAF followed by long-term tamoxifen. II. Compare the relative toxicities of these three regimens. OUTLINE: Randomized study. All patients are randomized on Arms I, II, and III. Lumpectomy patients must receive radiotherapy on Regimen A. At the discretion of the physician, mastectomy patients may receive radiotherapy on Regimen B for a tumor greater than 5 cm in diameter, 4 or more positive nodes, or extranodal extension of the tumor into the axillary fat. Patients randomized to Arm I who are to receive radiotherapy should begin as soon as feasible postoperatively; these patients may be irradiated while receiving tamoxifen. Patients on Arms II and III who are to receive radiotherapy are treated either postoperatively prior to registration or after completion of and recovery from 6 courses of CAF. Arm I: Antiestrogen Therapy. Tamoxifen, TMX, NSC-180973. Arm II: 3-Drug Combination Chemotherapy followed by Antiestrogen Therapy. CAF: Cyclophosphamide, CTX, NSC-26271; Doxorubicin, DOX, NSC-123127; Fluorouracil, 5-FU, NSC-19893; followed by TMX. Arm III: 3-Drug Combination Chemotherapy plus Concurrent Antiestrogen Therapy. CAF; plus concurrent TMX. Regimen A: Radiotherapy. Irradiation of the breast and underlying chest wall and (optionally) of the supraclavicular area and, if indicated, the axilla, using megavoltage equipment with photon energies of up to 6 MV followed, if indicated, by a tumor bed boost using either electrons or iridium-192 (192-Ir) implants. Regimen B: Radiotherapy. Irradiation of the chest wall using either megavoltage photons via a tangential field or electrons via a direct field plus (optional) photon irradiation of the supraclavicular area and, if indicated, the axilla. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: 350 patients will be randomized to Arm I and 530 patients each will be randomized to Arms II and III. Accrual should be completed in about 4 years, and 4 additional years will be required for follow-up.
Source references
references
  1. citation
    Hershman DL, Unger JM, Barlow WE, Hutchins LF, Martino S, Osborne CK, Livingston RB, Albain KS. Treatment quality and outcomes of African American versus white breast cancer patients: retrospective analysis of Southwest Oncology studies S8814/S8897. J Clin Oncol. 2009 May 1;27(13):2157-62. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2008.19.1163. Epub 2009 Mar 23.
    pmid
    19307504
    type
    BACKGROUND
  2. citation
    Hershman D, Unger J, Barlow W, et al.: Treatment quality and outcome of African American vs. European American breast cancer patients: retrospective analysis of Southwest Oncology Group studies S8814/S8897. [Abstract] Breast Cancer Res Treat 100 (Suppl 1): A-3049, S140-1, 2006.
    type
    BACKGROUND
  3. citation
    Albain KS, Green SR, Lichter AS, Hutchins LF, Wood WC, Henderson IC, Ingle JN, O'Sullivan J, Osborne CK, Martino S. Influence of patient characteristics, socioeconomic factors, geography, and systemic risk on the use of breast-sparing treatment in women enrolled in adjuvant breast cancer studies: an analysis of two intergroup trials. J Clin Oncol. 1996 Nov;14(11):3009-17. doi: 10.1200/JCO.1996.14.11.3009.
    pmid
    8918499
    type
    BACKGROUND
  4. citation
    Albain K, Barlow W, Shak S, et al.: Prognostic and predictive value of the 21-gene recurrence score assay in postmenopausal, node-positive, ER-positive breast cancer (S8814, INT0100). [Abstract] Breast Cancer Res Treat 106 (1): A-10, 2007.
    type
    RESULT
  5. citation
    Albain K, Barlow W, O'Malley F, et al.: Concurrent (CAFT) versus sequential (CAF-T) chemohormonal therapy (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, tamoxifen) versus T alone for postmenopausal , node-positive, estrogen (ER) and/or progesterone (PgR) receptor-positive breast cancer: mature outcomes and new biologic correlates on phase III intergroup trial 0100 (SWOG-8814). [Abstract] Breast Cancer Res Treat 88 (Suppl 1): A-37, 2004.
    type
    RESULT
  6. citation
    Albain KS, Green SJ, Ravdin PM, et al.: Adjuvant chemohormonal therapy for primary breast cancer should be sequential instead of concurrent: initial results from intergroup trial 0100 (SWOG-8814). [Abstract] Proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 21: A-143, 2002.
    type
    RESULT
  7. citation
    Albain K, Green S, Ravdin P, et al.: Overall survival after cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, 5-Fu, and tamoxifen (CAFT) is superior to T alone in postmenopausal, receptor(+), node(+) breast cancer: new findings from phase III Southwest Oncology Group intergroup trial S8814 (INT-0100). [Abstract] Proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 20: A-94, 24a, 2001.
    type
    RESULT
  8. citation
    Ravdin P, Green S, Albain K, et al.: Initial report of the SWOG biological correlative study of c-erB-2 expression as a predictor of outcome in a trial comparing adjuvant CAF T with tamoxifen (T) alone. [Abstract] Proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 17: A374, 97a, 1998.
    type
    RESULT
  9. citation
    Albain K, Green S, Osborne K, et al.: Tamoxifen (T) versus cyclophosphamide, adriamycin and 5-FU plus either concurrent or sequential T in postmenopausal, receptor(+), node(+) breast cancer: a Southwest Oncology Group phase III intergroup trial (SWOG-8814, INT-0100). [Abstract] Proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 16: A-450, 128a, 1997.
    type
    RESULT
  10. citation
    Pusztai L, Hoag JR, Albain KS, Barlow WE, Stemmer SM, Meisner A, Hortobagyi GN, Shak S, Rae JM, Baehner R, Sharma P, Kalinsky KM. Development and Validation of the RSClinN+ Tool to Predict Prognosis and Chemotherapy Benefit for Hormone Receptor-Positive, Node-Positive Breast Cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2025 Mar 10;43(8):919-928. doi: 10.1200/JCO-24-01507. Epub 2024 Dec 2.
    pmid
    39621968
    type
    DERIVED
  11. citation
    Speers CW, Symmans WF, Barlow WE, Trevarton A, The S, Du L, Rae JM, Shak S, Baehner R, Sharma P, Pusztai L, Hortobagyi GN, Hayes DF, Albain KS, Godwin A, Thompson A. Evaluation of the Sensitivity to Endocrine Therapy Index and 21-Gene Breast Recurrence Score in the SWOG S8814 Trial. J Clin Oncol. 2023 Apr 1;41(10):1841-1848. doi: 10.1200/JCO.22.01499. Epub 2023 Jan 17.
    pmid
    36649570
    type
    DERIVED
  12. citation
    Albain KS, Barlow WE, Ravdin PM, Farrar WB, Burton GV, Ketchel SJ, Cobau CD, Levine EG, Ingle JN, Pritchard KI, Lichter AS, Schneider DJ, Abeloff MD, Henderson IC, Muss HB, Green SJ, Lew D, Livingston RB, Martino S, Osborne CK; Breast Cancer Intergroup of North America. Adjuvant chemotherapy and timing of tamoxifen in postmenopausal patients with endocrine-responsive, node-positive breast cancer: a phase 3, open-label, randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2009 Dec 19;374(9707):2055-2063. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61523-3. Epub 2009 Dec 10.
    pmid
    20004966
    type
    DERIVED
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        Updated: April 25, 2025
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    Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice