Cancers & treatments·Regimen libraryAdjuvant

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 total

28-day cycle × 6 (about 24 weeks)OralIntravenous Daily oral course

Components

Drug	Dose	Route	Days
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

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

HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer HER2-positive breast cancer Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)

Products

CyclophosphamideDoxorubicinFluorouracil (5-FU)

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.