CAF (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, fluorouracil)
Checked 2026-09-09
Historical adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer; the anthracycline comparator in SWOG and Intergroup trials
Also called CAF, FAC.
One cycle
every 28 days × 6 · about 24 weeks in totalComponents
| Drug | Dose | Route | Days | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cyclophosphamide Alkylating agent (oxazaphosphorine prodrug) | 100 mg/m² once daily | Oral | D1-14 | |
Doxorubicin Cytotoxic chemotherapy (anthracycline) | 30 mg/m² | IV | D1, 8 | |
Fluorouracil Fluoropyrimidine antimetabolite | 500 mg/m² | IV | D1, 8 |
Cycles
6
28-day cycle
Emetogenicity
Moderate (30-90%)
G-CSF
Not routine
Notes
- SWOG 8814 is also the trial in which the 21-gene recurrence score was shown to predict who benefits from chemotherapy.
- Taxane-containing and dose-dense sequences have replaced CAF for most patients.
Used in
Source
Albain (SWOG 8814), Lancet 2009: CAF then tamoxifen versus tamoxifen alone
Reference doses for a typical adult from the cited protocol or label. Doses are adjusted for renal and hepatic function, age, performance status and prior toxicity, and institutional protocols vary. Verify against the current label and your local protocol before treating. Not medical advice.
Other regimens for these cancers
Everolimus
Advanced progressive NET (RADIANT-3, RADIANT-4); RCC and HR-positive breast cancer after prior therapy
every 28 days
Dose-dense AC → T
Node-positive or high-risk early breast cancer, adjuvant or neoadjuvant
every 14 days × 4
TC (docetaxel + cyclophosphamide)
Early breast cancer when an anthracycline is not wanted
every 21 days × 4
KEYNOTE-522 (pembrolizumab + chemotherapy, then adjuvant pembrolizumab)
Stage II-III triple-negative breast cancer
every 21 days × 4
TCHP
Stage II-III HER2-positive breast cancer, neoadjuvant
every 21 days × 6
APT (weekly paclitaxel + trastuzumab)
Stage I HER2-positive breast cancer, node-negative, tumour 3 cm or smaller
weekly × 12
THP (docetaxel + trastuzumab + pertuzumab)
HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer first line, then HP maintenance
every 21 days
Trastuzumab deruxtecan 5.4 mg/kg
HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer second line; HER2-low or ultralow after chemotherapy or endocrine therapy; HER2-mutant NSCLC
every 21 days