Effect of doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide on left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with breast cancer in the North Central Cancer Treatment Group N9831 Intergroup Adjuvant Trial

Purpose To evaluate changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) after four cycles of adjuvant doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide (AC) in women with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (node-positive or node-negative) breast cancer enrolled onto the North Central Cancer Treatment Group N9831 Intergroup Adjuvant Trial. Patients and Methods Patients were randomly assigned to receive standard doxorubicin (60 mg/m(2)) plus cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m(2)) every 3 weeks for four cycles followed by (1) weekly paclitaxel for 12 weeks; (2) weekly paclitaxel for 12 weeks, then weekly trastuzumab for 52 weeks; or (3) weekly paclitaxel plus trastuzumab for 12 weeks, then weekly trastuzumab for 40 weeks. LVEF was monitored before and after AC. Results Of the 1,576 eligible patients who completed AC, 1,458 had pre- and post-AC LVEF measurements taken using the same methodology (multiple-gated acquisition in 1,153 patients and echocardiogram in 305 patients). Among these 1,458 patients, 745 (51.1%) had less than or equal to 15% decrease in LVEF and LVEF that remained at or above the radiologic lower limit of normal (LLN); 42 patients (2.9%) had less than or equal to 15% decrease in LVEF and LVEF that decreased to or below the LLN; and 37 patients (2.5%) had an LVEF decrease of more than 15%. There was grade 2 LVEF toxicity in 96 (6.6%) of the 1,458 patients. Conclusion Standard AC chemotherapy is associated with frequent decreases in LVEF, which are noted when measured 3 weeks after completion of the fourth cycle. Patients are being observed to determine the long-term significance of this and the potential impact on subsequent treatment options. (C) 2004 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.