Cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil

Cyclophosphamide Methotrexate Fluorouracil (CMF) is a commonly used regimen of breast cancer chemotherapy that combines three anti-cancer agents: cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).^[1].

The regimen was designed in order to mimic the highly successful regimen developed to treat Hodgkin's lymphoma.^[2]

Treatment

The treatment is administrated over a four-week cycle. On days 1 and 8 methotraxate and 5-FU are given as injections. Cyclophosphamide may be also administered intravenously in conjunction with these drugs, or may be taken as an oral tablet, taken once each day for the first 14 days of each cycle.^[3]

Side effects

Side effects of CMF treatment include:^[3]

• Nausea
• Tiredness
• Mouth ulcers
• Infections
• Diarrhoea
• Some hair loss
• Loss of fertility

References

1. ^ Kimmick GG, Cirrincione C, Duggan DB, et al. (2008). "Fifteen-year median follow-up results after neoadjuvant doxorubicin, followed by mastectomy, followed by adjuvant cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil (CMF) followed by radiation for stage III breast cancer: a phase II trial (CALGB 8944)". Breast Cancer Res. Treat. 113 (3): 479–90. doi:10.1007/s10549-008-9943-2. PMID 18306034. 
2. ^ Ferreira Filho AF, Di Leo A, Paesmans M et al. (2002). "The feasibility of classical cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil (CMF) for pre- and post-menopausal node-positive breast cancer patients in a Belgian multicentric trial: a study of consistency in relative dose intensity (RDI) and cumulative doses across institutions". Annals of Oncology 13 (3): 416–421. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdf051. PMID 11996473. http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/13/3/416. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil)". UK: Breakthrough Breast Cancer. http://www.breakthrough.org.uk/about_breast_cancer/treatment/drug_therapy/chemotherapy/cmf.html. Retrieved 2008-10-13.