[Herceptin plus adjuvant chemotherapy for the prognosis of patients with human epithelial growth factor receptor 2 positive early-stage breast cancer: a meta-analysis].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of herceptin(trastuzumab) plus adjuvant chemotherapy on the prognosis of patients with human epithelial growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive early-stage breast cancer by Meta-analysis.


METHODS
Search all of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on herceptin plus adjuvant chemotherapy for HER2 positive early-stage breast cancer in MEDLINE, EMBase, Cochrane library, Clinical Trails, ASCO Conference data, CHKD, Wanfang Database, VIP information, scholar.google.com and SIGLE. A Meta-analysis was carried out by collecting information based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria from all papers available.


RESULTS
The Meta-analysis included 4 trials. A total of 9116 patients were included in the analysis(4555 in the study group and 4561 in the control group). There were statistical differences between the study group(herceptin plus adjuvant chemotherapy) and the control group(adjuvant chemotherapy) in the disease-free survival rate [relative risk(RR)=1.08, 95% CI, 1.06-1.09, P<0.001], the overall survival rate(RR=1.01, 95% CI, 1.01-1.02, P=0.0003), the distant recurrence rate(RR=0.49, 95% CI, 0.42-0.57, P<0.001), and the cardiac events rate (RR=3.93,95% CI, 1.03-15.06, P=0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Herceptin plus adjuvant chemotherapy can improve the disease-free survival rate and the overall survival rate, decrease distant recurrence rate of patients with HER2 positive early-stage breast cancer, but may cause heart toxicity, especially when combined with anthracycline (doxorubicin).
Wu
Fang
F
Department of Oncology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
Hu
Chun-Hong
CH
Jiang
Shao-Ai
SA
Lu
Fang-Gen
FG
Lin
Mian-Hui
MH
Deng
Xiao-Ge
XG
D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D000068878:Trastuzumab
D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human