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TAC Versus TC for Adjuvant Breast Cancer

Phase III Trial of TC Versus TAC in HER2-Negative Early Stage Breast Cancer Patients

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00493870
Enrollment
1961
Registered
2007-06-28
Start date
2007-05-29
Completion date
2020-03-30
Last updated
2023-03-02

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Breast Cancer

Brief summary

The purpose of this research study is to find out what effects (good and bad) TC or TAC has on early stage HER2- breast cancer.

Detailed description

Both TAC (docetaxel, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide) and TC (docetaxel and cyclophosphamide) are established adjuvant chemotherapy regimens for early stage breast cancer. TAC, however, due to the inclusion of the anthracycline doxorubicin, carries a high risk of hematologic and cardiotoxic adverse effects. Substantial evidence supports the concept that early stage HER2-negative breast cancers will benefit similarly from anthracycline-based adjuvant and non-anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Further, approximately 0 to 9% of HER2-negative breast cancers have alterations in the TOP2A gene, which may predict for benefit from anthracycline-based chemotherapy. We hypothesize that 6 cycles of TC versus 6 cycles of TAC will have similar efficacy in the treatment of early stage HER2-negative breast cancer and that TC will have less toxicity. If this hypothesis were upheld and the anthracycline doxorubicin could be eliminated from the regimen while obtaining similar efficacy in this population of patients, it would not only be an important advance in the understanding of the biology of cancer, but it would also be of significant clinical benefit to women with breast cancer.

Interventions

DRUGDocetaxel

Docetaxel 75 mg/m2 IV over 1 hour on Day 1 followed by cyclophosphamide

DRUGDoxorubicin

• Doxorubicin 50 mg/m2 IV push over 5-15 minutes via sidearm through a running IV line on Day 1, followed by cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2 IV over 15-30 minutes on Day 1, followed by docetaxel 75 mg/m2 IV over 1 hour on Day 1. Administer pegfilgrastim 6 mg SC on Day 2 (or filgrastim 5 mcg/kg SC per standard of care).

DRUGCyclophosphamide

600 mg/m2 IV over 15-30 minutes on Day 1.

Sponsors

Sanofi
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
US Oncology Research
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

A woman will be eligible for inclusion in this study if she meets all of the following criteria: * Age \>18 to \<70 years old. * Has known ER and PR status * Has HER2 nonamplified disease, confirmed by FISH * Has known menopausal status (see Section 7.3 for criteria) * Has operable, histologically confirmed, Stage I, IIA, IIB, or IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC invasive carcinoma of the breast. Bilateral synchronous breast cancer is allowable provided that 1 primary meets the inclusion criteria. * Meets 1 of the 3 following criteria: * T1-3N1-3M0 if ER positive or negative * T2-3N0M0 if ER positive or negative * T1N0M0 if ER and PR negative * Has complete surgical resection of the primary breast tumor: either lumpectomy or mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary dissection, with clear margins for both invasive and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) * Has had no prior chemotherapy unless \>5 years ago * Has an ECOG Performance Status (PS) 0-1 * Has laboratory values of: See protocol for specific details * Has aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) within the ranges shown below. In determining eligibility the more abnormal of the 2 values (AST or ALT) should be used. See protocol for specific details * Has normal cardiac function as evidenced by a LVEF \>50%, but WNL by institutional standard by multiple gated acquisition (MUGA) scan. An echocardiogram (ECHO) may be used if MUGA is not available, but the same modality must be used consistently throughout the study to evaluate LVEF. Ejection fraction as determined by ECHO must be WNL by institutional standard. * Has no evidence of metastatic disease outside of breast by physical examination and chest x-ray. Other scans if done as needed by the patient (eg, bone scan; abdominal, chest CT; PET or PET/CT; ultrasound; or MRI should indicate no evidence of metastatic disease * Has had baseline bilateral mammography * It has been \<84 days since the date of definitive surgery (eg, mastectomy or, in the case of a breast-sparing procedure, axillary dissection) with adequate wound healing, as determined by the Treating Physician * Has a negative serum pregnancy test within 7 calendar days prior to registration (female patients of childbearing potential \[not surgically sterilized and between menarche and 1 year postmenopause\]) * If fertile, patient has agreed to use an acceptable method of birth control (barrier contraceptive only) to avoid pregnancy for the duration of the study and for a period of 3 months thereafter * Has adequate tumor specimen available for FISH analysis of TOP2A status (See Appendix VI). * Has signed a Patient Informed Consent Form * Has signed a Patient Authorization Form

Exclusion criteria

A woman will be excluded from this study if she meets any of the following criteria: * Has any evidence of metastatic disease following surgical resection of the primary tumor including: positive surgical margins, staging work-up, or physical examination suspicious for malignant disease * Has T4 disease (ie, patients with fixed tumors, peau d'orange skin changes, skin ulcerations, or inflammatory changes) * Has Stage IV breast cancer (M1 disease on TNM staging system) * Has a history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to drugs formulated with polysorbate 80 * Has had neoadjuvant chemotherapy for this breast cancer * Has ever had a myocardial infarction (MI) or has a history of heart failure, uncontrolled angina, severe uncontrolled arrhythmias, pericardial disease, or electrocardiographic evidence of acute ischemic changes * Is receiving concurrent immunotherapy, hormonal therapy (eg, tamoxifen, hormone replacement therapy), or radiation therapy. Must discontinue prior to registering on the study. * Is receiving concurrent investigational therapy or has received such therapy within the past 30 calendar days * Has peripheral neuropathy \>Grade 1 * Has had a major organ allograft or condition requiring chronic immunosuppression (ie, kidney, liver, lung, heart, bone marrow transplant, or autoimmune diseases). Patients who have received corneal transplants or cadaver skin or bone transplants are eligible. * Has a serious uncontrolled intercurrent medical or psychiatric illness, including serious viral (including clinically defined AIDS), bacterial or fungal infection; or history of uncontrolled seizures, or diabetes, or CNS disorders deemed by the Treating Physician to be clinically significant, precluding informed consent * Has active hepatitis B or hepatitis C with abnormal liver function tests (LFTs) or is known to be HIV positive * Has a history of other malignancy within the last 5 years (except cured basal cell carcinoma of skin, carcinoma in situ of uterine cervix, DCIS, which could affect the diagnosis or assessment of any of the study drugs * In an obese patient to whom the Treating Physician would not be comfortable administering full doses of study drugs as calculated by the BSA. Obese patients will be treated based on actual body weight. Obese patients treated with full doses based on actual BSA are eligible. * Is pregnant or breastfeeding * Is deemed unable to comply with requirements of study

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
3-year Invasive Disease-free Survival (IDFS) Among Analyzed ITT Patients3 years from randomization into studyThe primary objective of the study is to compare the 3-year invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) of adjuvant TC versus TAC as treatment for early stage HER2-negative breast cancer among analyzed ITT patients. ITT patients are all patients who were randomized, whether or not they followed protocol. IDFS, defined as the time from the date of randomization to local recurrence following mastectomy, invasive local recurrence in the ipsilateral breast following lumpectomy, regional recurrence, distant recurrence, invasive contralateral breast cancer, second primary cancer (other than squamous or basal cell carcinoma of the skin, melanoma in situ, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, colorectal carcinoma in situ, or lobular carcinoma in situ of the breast), or death from any cause prior to recurrence or second primary cancer. Patients who have not had any such event at the time of data analysis will be censored at the last date they were known to be event-free.
3-year Invasive Disease-free Survival (IDFS) Among Per-protocol Patients3 years from randomization into studyThe primary objective of the study is to compare the 3-year invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) of adjuvant TC versus TAC as treatment for early stage HER2-negative breast cancer among per-protocol patients. Per-protocol only includes those patients who were randomized and received treatment as outlined in the protocol.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number and Frequency of Participants by TOP2A Status by Study Treatment10 years (from baseline to end of study participation)To evaluate the effectiveness of TC and TAC in TOP2A altered (amplified, deleted, or overexpressed at the protein level) early stage HER2-negative breast cancer
3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Analyzed ITT Patients3 years from randomization into studyTo compare disease-free survival-ductal carcinoma in situ (DFS-DCIS),overall survival (OS) and recurrence free interval (RFI) of TC with TAC. DFS-DCIS, defined as the time from the date of randomization to local recurrence following mastectomy, local recurrence in the ipsilateral breast following lumpectomy (invasive or non-invasive), regional recurrence, distant recurrence, contralateral breast cancer (invasive or non-invasive), second primary cancer (other than squamous or basal cell carcinoma of the skin, melanoma in situ, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, colorectal carcinoma in situ, or lobular carcinoma in situ of the breast), or death from any cause prior to recurrence or second primary cancer. Patients who have not had any such event at the time of data analysis will be censored at the last date they were known to be event-free.
3-year DFS Stratified by TOP2A Among TAC Arm3 years from randomization into studyTo evaluate DFS among TAC in TOP2A altered (amplified, deleted, or overexpressed at the protein level) early stage HER2-negative breast cancer.
3-year DFS Stratified by TOP2A Among TC Arm3 years from randomization into studyTo evaluate DFS among TC in TOP2A altered (amplified, deleted, or overexpressed at the protein level) early stage HER2-negative breast cancer.
3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Per-protocol Patients.3 years from randomization into studyTo compare disease-free survival-ductal carcinoma in situ (DFS-DCIS),overall survival (OS) and recurrence free interval (RFI) of TC with TAC among per protocol patients.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
TC Arm
docetaxel 75 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 Docetaxel: Docetaxel 75 mg/m2 IV over 1 hour on Day 1 plus Cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 IV over 15-30 minutes on Day 1 Q 21 day cycles X 6.
969
TAC Arm
doxorubicin 50 mg/m2, cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2 and docetaxel 75 mg/m2 Docetaxel: Docetaxel 75 mg/m2 IV over 1 hour on Day 1 followed by cyclophosphamide Doxorubicin: • Doxorubicin 50 mg/m2 IV push over 5-15 minutes via sidearm through a running IV line on Day 1, plus cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2 IV over 15-30 minutes on Day 1, plus docetaxel 75 mg/m2 IV over 1 hour on Day 1, followed by pegfilgrastim 6 mg SC (or filgrastim 5 mcg/kg SC) on Day 2 Q 21 day cycles X 6.
965
Total1,934

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyLost to Follow-up1215

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicTotalTC ArmTAC Arm
Age, Continuous53.3 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.1
53.4 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.2
53.1 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.9
Baseline Performance Status (ECOG)
ECOG 0
1717 Participants860 Participants857 Participants
Baseline Performance Status (ECOG)
ECOG 1
217 Participants109 Participants108 Participants
Grade
Moderately/Intermediate
747 Participants370 Participants377 Participants
Grade
Poorly/Undifferentiated
901 Participants470 Participants431 Participants
Grade
Unknown
67 Participants29 Participants38 Participants
Grade
Well/Low
219 Participants100 Participants119 Participants
Histology
Ductal
1600 Participants811 Participants789 Participants
Histology
Lobular
187 Participants87 Participants100 Participants
Histology
Mixed
50 Participants24 Participants26 Participants
Histology
Other
95 Participants47 Participants48 Participants
Histology
Unknown
2 Participants0 Participants2 Participants
Hormone Receptor Status
Negative
577 Participants290 Participants287 Participants
Hormone Receptor Status
Positive
1357 Participants679 Participants678 Participants
Menopausal Status
Peri
83 Participants41 Participants42 Participants
Menopausal Status
Post
1181 Participants602 Participants579 Participants
Menopausal Status
Pre
667 Participants324 Participants343 Participants
Menopausal Status
Unknown
3 Participants2 Participants1 Participants
Positive Nodes
0 nodes
697 Participants358 Participants339 Participants
Positive Nodes
10+ nodes
75 Participants40 Participants35 Participants
Positive Nodes
1-3 nodes
935 Participants455 Participants480 Participants
Positive Nodes
4-9 nodes
227 Participants116 Participants111 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Asian
33 Participants11 Participants22 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Black
189 Participants94 Participants95 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Caucasian
1459 Participants718 Participants741 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Hawaiian
2 Participants0 Participants2 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Hispanic
238 Participants141 Participants97 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Indian
3 Participants1 Participants2 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Other
7 Participants2 Participants5 Participants
Race/Ethnicity, Customized
Unknown
3 Participants2 Participants1 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
1934 Participants969 Participants965 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Stage
I
260 Participants136 Participants124 Participants
Stage
II
1421 Participants705 Participants716 Participants
Stage
III
253 Participants128 Participants125 Participants
Tumor size2.6 cm
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.5
2.7 cm
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.5
2.6 cm
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.5

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
110 / 96988 / 965
other
Total, other adverse events
680 / 969746 / 965
serious
Total, serious adverse events
264 / 969330 / 965

Outcome results

Primary

3-year Invasive Disease-free Survival (IDFS) Among Analyzed ITT Patients

The primary objective of the study is to compare the 3-year invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) of adjuvant TC versus TAC as treatment for early stage HER2-negative breast cancer among analyzed ITT patients. ITT patients are all patients who were randomized, whether or not they followed protocol. IDFS, defined as the time from the date of randomization to local recurrence following mastectomy, invasive local recurrence in the ipsilateral breast following lumpectomy, regional recurrence, distant recurrence, invasive contralateral breast cancer, second primary cancer (other than squamous or basal cell carcinoma of the skin, melanoma in situ, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, colorectal carcinoma in situ, or lobular carcinoma in situ of the breast), or death from any cause prior to recurrence or second primary cancer. Patients who have not had any such event at the time of data analysis will be censored at the last date they were known to be event-free.

Time frame: 3 years from randomization into study

Population: Analyzed ITT population

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
TC Arm3-year Invasive Disease-free Survival (IDFS) Among Analyzed ITT Patients91.1 percentage of participants
TAC Arm3-year Invasive Disease-free Survival (IDFS) Among Analyzed ITT Patients93.2 percentage of participants
p-value: 0.05Log Rank
Primary

3-year Invasive Disease-free Survival (IDFS) Among Per-protocol Patients

The primary objective of the study is to compare the 3-year invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) of adjuvant TC versus TAC as treatment for early stage HER2-negative breast cancer among per-protocol patients. Per-protocol only includes those patients who were randomized and received treatment as outlined in the protocol.

Time frame: 3 years from randomization into study

Population: Per-protocol patients

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
TC Arm3-year Invasive Disease-free Survival (IDFS) Among Per-protocol Patients91.3 percentage of participants
TAC Arm3-year Invasive Disease-free Survival (IDFS) Among Per-protocol Patients93.2 percentage of participants
Secondary

3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Analyzed ITT Patients

To compare disease-free survival-ductal carcinoma in situ (DFS-DCIS),overall survival (OS) and recurrence free interval (RFI) of TC with TAC. DFS-DCIS, defined as the time from the date of randomization to local recurrence following mastectomy, local recurrence in the ipsilateral breast following lumpectomy (invasive or non-invasive), regional recurrence, distant recurrence, contralateral breast cancer (invasive or non-invasive), second primary cancer (other than squamous or basal cell carcinoma of the skin, melanoma in situ, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, colorectal carcinoma in situ, or lobular carcinoma in situ of the breast), or death from any cause prior to recurrence or second primary cancer. Patients who have not had any such event at the time of data analysis will be censored at the last date they were known to be event-free.

Time frame: 3 years from randomization into study

Population: Analyzed ITT population

ArmMeasureGroupValue (NUMBER)
TC Arm3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Analyzed ITT Patients3-year DFS-DCIS90.9 percentage of participants
TC Arm3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Analyzed ITT Patients3-year OS96.8 percentage of participants
TC Arm3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Analyzed ITT Patients3-year RFI91.9 percentage of participants
TAC Arm3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Analyzed ITT Patients3-year DFS-DCIS93.0 percentage of participants
TAC Arm3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Analyzed ITT Patients3-year OS96.8 percentage of participants
TAC Arm3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Analyzed ITT Patients3-year RFI94.5 percentage of participants
Secondary

3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Per-protocol Patients.

To compare disease-free survival-ductal carcinoma in situ (DFS-DCIS),overall survival (OS) and recurrence free interval (RFI) of TC with TAC among per protocol patients.

Time frame: 3 years from randomization into study

Population: Analyzed per-protocol patients

ArmMeasureGroupValue (NUMBER)
TC Arm3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Per-protocol Patients.3-year DFS-DCIS91.1 percentage of participants
TC Arm3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Per-protocol Patients.3-year OS96.8 percentage of participants
TC Arm3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Per-protocol Patients.3-year RFI92.1 percentage of participants
TAC Arm3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Per-protocol Patients.3-year DFS-DCIS93.0 percentage of participants
TAC Arm3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Per-protocol Patients.3-year OS96.8 percentage of participants
TAC Arm3-year DFS-DCIS, OS and RFI Among Per-protocol Patients.3-year RFI94.5 percentage of participants
Secondary

3-year DFS Stratified by TOP2A Among TAC Arm

To evaluate DFS among TAC in TOP2A altered (amplified, deleted, or overexpressed at the protein level) early stage HER2-negative breast cancer.

Time frame: 3 years from randomization into study

Population: Analyzed ITT patients with TOP2A data among TAC arm.

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
TC Arm3-year DFS Stratified by TOP2A Among TAC Arm100 percentage of participants
TAC Arm3-year DFS Stratified by TOP2A Among TAC Arm90.9 percentage of participants
Normal3-year DFS Stratified by TOP2A Among TAC Arm93.2 percentage of participants
Secondary

3-year DFS Stratified by TOP2A Among TC Arm

To evaluate DFS among TC in TOP2A altered (amplified, deleted, or overexpressed at the protein level) early stage HER2-negative breast cancer.

Time frame: 3 years from randomization into study

Population: Analyzed ITT patients with TOP2A data

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
TC Arm3-year DFS Stratified by TOP2A Among TC Arm85.1 percentage of participants
TAC Arm3-year DFS Stratified by TOP2A Among TC Arm82.8 percentage of participants
Normal3-year DFS Stratified by TOP2A Among TC Arm93.8 percentage of participants
Secondary

Number and Frequency of Participants by TOP2A Status by Study Treatment

To evaluate the effectiveness of TC and TAC in TOP2A altered (amplified, deleted, or overexpressed at the protein level) early stage HER2-negative breast cancer

Time frame: 10 years (from baseline to end of study participation)

Population: Analyzed ITT patients with TOP2A data

ArmMeasureGroupValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
TC ArmNumber and Frequency of Participants by TOP2A Status by Study TreatmentAmplification14 Participants
TC ArmNumber and Frequency of Participants by TOP2A Status by Study TreatmentDeletion131 Participants
TC ArmNumber and Frequency of Participants by TOP2A Status by Study TreatmentNormal479 Participants
TAC ArmNumber and Frequency of Participants by TOP2A Status by Study TreatmentAmplification14 Participants
TAC ArmNumber and Frequency of Participants by TOP2A Status by Study TreatmentDeletion128 Participants
TAC ArmNumber and Frequency of Participants by TOP2A Status by Study TreatmentNormal489 Participants

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026