title: Response to second-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic breast carcinoma previously responsive to first-line treatment: prognostic factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this retrospective study was to determine those prognostic factors associated with response to a second-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic breast carcinoma (MBC) that was previously responsive to a first-line chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 70 MBC patients studied had previously responded to a first-line chemotherapy, mainly anthracycline or anthracenedione-containing regimens. During first-line chemotherapy they had received treatment until the maximum response was obtained, at which time treatment was discontinued. Second-line chemotherapy regimens were of several types (48.5% with anthracycline). A study of prognostic factors associated with response to second-line chemotherapy was performed by univariate and multivariate analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Second-line chemotherapy achieved a 44% response rate, with a median response duration of 10 months. Survival was 13 months in the entire patient group, 22 months in responders, and 8 months in nonresponders. Univariate analysis identified seven factors related to patient response rate to second-line treatment. A better response rate to second-line chemotherapy was observed in patients with the following features: 1) chemotherapy free time (time between onset of metastatic disease and initiation of first-line) < 12 months (P = 0.03); 2) complete response to first-line chemotherapy (P = 0.013); 3) response duration to first-line chemotherapy > 14 months (P = 0.0001); 4) progression free interval (time between end of first-line treatment and initiation of second-line chemotherapy) > 11 months (P = 0.0001); 5) performance status at second-line treatment < 2 (P = 0.04); 6) tumor index at second-line chemotherapy < 4 (P = 0.05); and 7) treatment with an anthracycline-containing second-line regimen (P = 0.03). In multivariate analysis, only progression free interval was identified as being associated with response rate to second-line chemotherapy (P = 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Retained chemosensitivity appeared to be an important characteristic in patients responding to second-line chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Department, University Hospital Pitie Salpetriere, Paris, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brun
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benchalal
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lebas
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piedbois
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lebourgeois
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016879:Salvage Therapy
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic