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01-05-2010 | Original Article

Usefulness of chemotherapy beyond the second line for metastatic breast cancer: a therapeutic challenge

Authors: Elodie Vauléon, Habiba Mesbah, Brigitte Laguerre, Daniel Gédouin, Claudia Lefeuvre-Plesse, Jean Levêque, Odile Audrain, Pierre Kerbrat

Published in: Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology | Issue 1/2010

Abstract

Purpose

Several lines of chemotherapy can be proposed for patients with metastatic breast cancer, but beyond the second line, agreement is lacking concerning the most appropriate therapeutic strategy.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of the files of 162 patients, who had received at least 3 lines of chemotherapy (CT3) for metastatic breast cancer during a 5-year period (2000–2004), in order to analyze management practices and search for factors affecting survival from CT3 and predictive factors of non-progressive disease (NPD) after CT3.

Results

Multivariate analysis identified seven factors which had a positive influence on survival from CT3 (SBR grade I, absence of adjuvant hormone therapy, free interval ≥2 years, absence of cerebromeningeal metastasis before CT, unique focus at initiation of CT3, use of polychemotherapy for CT2, and complete response to CT1 or CT2) and two predictive factors of NPD (histology and drug group used for CT3).

Conclusions

These factors should help determine the appropriate strategy for proposing a third line of chemotherapy.

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Title: Usefulness of chemotherapy beyond the second line for metastatic breast cancer: a therapeutic challenge
Authors: Elodie Vauléon
Habiba Mesbah
Brigitte Laguerre
Daniel Gédouin
Claudia Lefeuvre-Plesse
Jean Levêque
Odile Audrain
Pierre Kerbrat
Publication date: 01-05-2010
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology / Issue 1/2010
Print ISSN: 0344-5704
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0843
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00280-009-1141-3

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Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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