The use of anthracyclines and taxanes for adjuvant therapy of breast cancer

SUMMARY The anthracyclines (doxorubicin and epirubicin) and taxanes (paclitaxel and docetaxel) are among the most active agents for the treatment of advanced breast cancer. The efficacy and safety of anthracycline–taxane combinations have been established in this setting. As a consequence, their use in early-stage breast cancer is an area of active investigation. Two general strategies have been pursued – combinations of taxane and anthracycline and sequential use of anthracycline followed by taxane or the reverse. This review summarizes our current knowledge about the adjuvant use of doxorubicin and paclitaxel or docetaxel for breast cancer, focusing on randomized clinical trials of the US cooperative groups as examples of the development process.