epirubicin or doxorubicin + cyclophosphamide + paclitaxel

This chemotherapy regimen is a standard-of-care neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment for breast cancer, often referred to as AC-T (if using doxorubicin) or EC-T (if using epirubicin). It consists of an anthracycline (either epirubicin or doxorubicin) combined with the alkylating agent cyclophosphamide, typically administered for four cycles, followed by the taxane paclitaxel for another four cycles. Epirubicin and doxorubicin work by intercalating DNA and inhibiting topoisomerase II, leading to DNA strand breaks. Cyclophosphamide is a nitrogen mustard derivative that cross-links DNA, interfering with replication. Paclitaxel stabilizes microtubules, preventing their disassembly and arresting the cell cycle in the G2/M phase. In the context of the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital trial (NCT06144944), this regimen serves as the control arm to evaluate the added benefit of pyrotinib in patients with HR-positive/HER2-low high-risk early breast cancer.

Other names

AC-T regimenEC-T regimenanthracycline-cyclophosphamide followed by paclitaxelepirubicin or doxorubicin + cyclophosphamide + paclitaxel-Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University-breast cancer