Up-front tandem high-dose chemotherapy compared with standard chemotherapy with doxorubicin and paclitaxel in metastatic breast cancer: results of a randomized trial.

Purpose: The role of high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) in metastatic breast cancer remains controversial. Trials with late intensification HDCT have failed to show an advantage in overall survival. This study was initiated to compare up-front tandem HDCT and standard combination therapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer.