Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42168151›Full record

Trial reportSignal transduction and targeted therapy2026

Fulvestrant versus capecitabine as maintenance therapy in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer after first-line chemotherapy (FAMILY): a multicenter, open-label, randomized, phase 3 trial.

Wenjing Wu, Yaping Yang, Haizhu Chen, Yongkui Lu, Yinduo Zeng, Jianli Zhao, Caiwen Du, Ying Lin, Peijian Peng, Mei Huang and 23 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled TrialClinical Trial, Phase IIIMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Trial report in Signal transduction and targeted therapy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04263298 (A Randomized, Multi-center, Open-label, Phase III Trial of Fulvestrant Versus Capecitabine as Maintenance Therapy After First-line Chemotherapy in Patients With Hormone Receptor Positive, Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2 Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT04263298 phase3recruitingnot on this map

A Randomized, Multi-center, Open-label, Phase III Trial of Fulvestrant Versus Capecitabine as Maintenance Therapy After First-line Chemotherapy in Patients With Hormone Receptor Positive, Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2 Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer (FAMILY)

TypeinterventionalSponsorHerui YaoRan2018 to 2030Enrolled210ConditionsMetastatic Breast CancerArmsFulvestrant, Capecitabine Oral Product
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

33 authors.

Wenjing Wu *Breast Tumor Centre, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, PR China.
Yaping Yang *Breast Tumor Centre, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, PR China.
Haizhu Chen *Breast Tumor Centre, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, PR China.
Yongkui Lu *Department of Breast, Bone and Soft Tissue Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, PR China.
Yinduo Zeng *Breast Tumor Centre, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, PR China.
Jianli ZhaoBreast Tumor Centre, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, PR China.
Caiwen DuDepartment of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen, PR China.
Ying LinBreast Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5923-3306
Peijian PengDepartment of Breast Disease, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun-Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, PR China.
Mei HuangDepartment of Breast Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, PR China.
Ying ZhangCancer Center, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, PR China.
Quchang OuyangDepartment of Breast Medicine, Hunan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, PR China.
Linxiaoxiao DingBreast Tumor Centre, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, PR China.
Ziliang ChengDepartment of Radiology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
Yuanyu WenBreast Tumor Centre, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, PR China.
Zhiyong WuBreast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Shantou Central Hospital, Shantou, PR China.
Jinhui YeDepartment of Breast Disease, The First People's Hospital of Zhaoqing, Zhaoqing, PR China.
Li LingClinical Research Design Division, Clinical Research Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
Kun WangDepartment of Breast Cancer, Cancer Center, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, PR China.
Ying LuDepartment of Oncology, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Liuzhou, PR China.
Guorong ZouDepartment of Oncology, The Affiliated Panyu Central Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, PR China.
Jincai ZhongDepartment of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, PR China.
Hong WangDepartment of Oncology, Nanchang People's Hospital, Nanchang, PR China.
Daren LinDepartment of Oncology, Jiangmen Central Hospital, Jiangmen, PR China.
De ZengThe Second Department of Internal Medicine, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, PR China.
Chengcai YaoDepartment of Breast Surgery, Sixth Affiliated Hospital of South China University of Technology, and Sixth Clinical College of South China University of Technology, Foshan, PR China.
Qianjun ChenState Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, PR China.
Liqun ZouDepartment of Medical Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China.
Shusen WangDepartment of Medical Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0139-5780
Yunfang YuDepartment of Medical Oncology, Phase I Clinical Trial Centre, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2579-6220
Zhongyu YuanDepartment of Medical Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China. yuanzhy@sysucc.org.cn.
Ying WangBreast Tumor Centre, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, PR China. yingwang1101@126.com.
Herui YaoBreast Tumor Centre, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Guangzhou, PR China. yaoherui@mail.sysu.edu.cn.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82273204
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Maintenance therapy is key in prolonging remission and improving quality of life for hormone receptor-positive (HR + ), HER-2 negative (HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (MBC), but optimal strategies remain debated. This multicenter, open-label, randomized phase 3 trial conducted across 22 hospitals in mainland China (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04263298; Chinadrugtrials.org.cn, ChiCTR-IIR-17014036) compared the efficacy and safety of fulvestrant versus capecitabine as maintenance therapy in HR + /HER2- MBC patients after achieving objective response or disease control following first-line chemotherapy. The primary end point was investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS). A total of 210 patients underwent randomization, with 105 assigned to each group. As of the data cutoff date on March 1, 2025, the median follow-up was 33.6 months (range 1.5-81.1). Median PFS favored fulvestrant compared with capecitabine (17.3 months [95% CI 12.7-23.3] vs. 9.0 months [95% CI 7.5-14.3]; hazard ratio 0.63, 95% CI 0.47-0.99; p = 0.003). Overall survival data were not yet mature. Grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs) occurred in three patients (2.9%) in the fulvestrant group and 11 (10.5%) in the capecitabine group. Treatment discontinuation due to AEs occurred in 0% and 7.6% of patients, respectively. Fulvestrant maintenance therapy significantly improves PFS compared to capecitabine in HR + /HER2- MBC patients achieving objective response or disease control following first-line chemotherapy, with a favorable safety profile.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsCapecitabineErb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine KinasesFulvestrantAdultAgedFemaleHumansMiddle AgedNeoplasm MetastasisReceptors, EstrogenCapecitabineERBB2 protein, humanErb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine KinasesFulvestrantReceptors, Estrogen

Identifiers

PMID42168151
PMCPMC13194736

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.