Real-World Outcomes of Combination Anthracycline and Taxane Adjuvant Therapies in Early Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A Moroccan Retrospective Analysis.

Abstract

Purpose: Neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy followed by adjuvant immunotherapy is the gold standard for treating patients with higher risk early triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC); however, in some cases, these patients undergo surgery followed by chemotherapy-based anthracyclines and taxanes without adhering to the guidelines.

Methods: Patients with previously untreated stage I, II, and III TNBC who received adjuvant therapy with either doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC) + docetaxel (AC-D), AC + weekly paclitaxel (AC-WP), epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (EC) + docetaxel (EC-D), or EC + WP (EC-WP); older than 18 years; and diagnosed between January 1st, 2011, and December 31st, 2022, were eligible for the study. Disease-free survival (DFS) is the primary reported end point. Overall survival (OS) and safety were the secondary end points.

Results: We included 272 female patients. At a prespecified event-driven data cutoff, with a median follow-up of 26.3 months, the 5-year DFS was 49% (95% CI, 38 to 63) in the AC-D group, 45% (95% CI, 29 to 70) in the AC-WP group, 73% (95% CI, 61 to 100) in the EC-D group, and 72% (95% CI, 44 to 100) in the EC-WP group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.2 [95% CI, 0.06 to 0.67]; P = .08). The 7-year OS was 52% (95% CI, 32 to 83) in the AC-D group, 88% (95% CI, 78 to 99) in the AC-WP group, 95% (95% CI, 88 to 100) in the EC-D group, and 83% (95% CI, 58 to 100) in the EC-WP group (HR, 0.19 [95% CI, 0.06 to 0.66]; P = .03). Most of the grade 3-4 adverse events occurred in the AC-D group, primarily neutropenia, nausea-vomiting, and alopecia.

Conclusion: EC-D was linked to a slightly longer survival free of invasive, noninvasive, or distant disease and a significantly longer OS with fewer adverse events. Further studies are needed to confirm and establish long-term clinical benefits.