Systemic treatment with capecitabine as maintenance therapy in patients with recurring or metastatic breast cancer: experience in the Oncology Hospital, National Medical Center Siglo XXI, Mexican Social Security Institute

Metastatic breast cancer as initial onset represents between 20 and 30 % of cases and is considered an incurable disease. The goal of its treatment is palliative, looking for increasing the survival while reducing the symptoms. Maintenance chemotherapy studies for metastatic breast cancer have demonstrated to prolong the progression-free survival, with unclear results in terms of overall survival. The main objectives of our study were the progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with recurring or metastatic breast cancer treated with capecitabine in the maintenance chemotherapy setting compared with patients not receiving maintenance chemotherapy. As secondary objectives, the frequency of dose-limiting toxicities and response rate were determined. A non-probabilistic sampling was used, through expert selection of patients from the recurring/metastatic breast cancer survey cared within the period from January 1, 2007, to December 21, 2012. A total of 77 patients were included. Clinical data of advanced/recurrent breast cancer patients that were treated with capecitabine were recorded. The study achieved its primary objective, since the progression-free survival was prolonged for the maintenance therapy group: 6.6 versus 18.1 months, p < 0.001. The absolute benefit was 11.5 months. Likewise, there was a benefit in the overall survival of 21.03 versus 29 months, p = 0.015, with an absolute benefit of 7.97 months. The toxicity profile was favorable in the maintenance group. The maintenance chemotherapy with capecitabine in patients treated at the National Medical Center Siglo XXI Oncology Hospital extends the overall survival and progression-free survival with a good toxicity profile.