在一个术后辅助化疗的试验中，原发性乳腺癌并扩散到一个或多个腋窝淋巴结的女性被随机分配接受单一药物氯乙环素或氯乙环素、甲氨蝶呤、氟尿嘧啶、长春碱和阿霉素的五药联合治疗为期六个月。在治疗结束后，有47名患者被要求在家中填写关于治疗副作用及其对生活质量的影响的问卷。恶心、呕吐、乏力和脱发等副作用在接受单一药物治疗的患者中有9人（42％）和接受多种药物治疗的患者中有19人（79％）严重到影响他们的生活方式。其他一些副作用也有少数患者报告。接受多种药物治疗的患者中有7人（29％）自愿补充说，治疗是“不可忍受”的或“永远无法再次经历”的。接受治疗时出现严重副作用的患者比例相当大；因此，仅在治疗显著改善患者预后的情况下，这样的辅助化疗才是有道理的。

In a trial of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy women with primary breast cancer and spread to one or more axillary nodes were randomised to receive a six-month course of either the single agent chlorambucil or the five-drug combination of chlorambucil, methotrexate, fluorouracil, vincristine, and adriamycin. On completing the treatment 47 patients were asked to fill in questionnaires at home on the side effects of treatment and its influence on the quality of their life. Side effects including nausea, vomiting, malaise, and alopecia had been severe enough to interfere with their lifestyle in 9 (42%) of the patients who had received the single agent and 19 (79%) of those who had received multiple-drug treatment. Various other side effects were reported by a few patients. Seven (29%) of the patients who had received the multiple-drug schedule voluntarily added that the treatment had been "unbearable" or "could never be gone though again." The proportion of patients who had experienced severe side effects while receiving the treatment was considerable; hence such adjuvant chemotherapy is justifiable only if it will substantially improve a patient's prognosis.