362 evaluable node-positive patients with stage II breast cancer were randomized, receiving either 6 cycles of conventional CMF or 6 cycles of the combination of cyclophosphamide (500 mg/m²), mitoxantrone (Novantrone 10 mg/ m²), and fluorouracil (500 mg/m²; CNF). After a median follow-up of 51 months, 64 (36%) patients relapsed in the CMF group and 60 (33%) in the CNF group (p = 0.8276). By Cox multivariate analysis, tumor size, menopausal status and number of involved nodes were retained as independently significant variables. Toxicities were remarkably similar in both groups. It appears that after a median follow-up of 51 months there is no significant difference in relapse-free survival between node-positive patients with breast cancer who received either 6 cycles of the conventional CMF or the CNF combination as adjuvant treatment.