title: Bevacizumab based chemotherapy in first line treatment of HER2 negative metastatic breast cancer: results of a Moroccan observational institutional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients, randomised controlled trials evaluated Bevacizumab as first-line treatment showed improvements in tumour response rate and progression-free survival (PFS) when added to chemotherapy. In Morocco, we conducted an observational study to investigate clinical features, treatment and prognosis associated with Bevacizumab based chemotherapy in first line treatment of HER2 negative MBC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen women were included in this study. All these women were diagnosed as having HER2 negative MBC at the National Institute of Oncology in Rabat, Morocco, between January 2009 and December 2010. The median age of patients was 48.1 years. Four patients (21%) had metastatic disease at diagnosis and 15 patients (79%) had received treatment for first metastatic relapse. Bone, liver and lung were the most frequent metastasis sites. Patients were followed up until April 2011. Most patients had objective response; 15.8% of complete response, 47.3% of partial response and 21.1% of stabilisation. Median PFS was estimated at 11.5 months. Sub-groups analysis showed a statistically significant difference (Log-rank test: p = 0.01); PFS for patients receiving Bevacizumab - weekly Paclitaxel was estimated at 18.1 months, and at 9.1 months for patients receiving the combination Bevacizumab - Docetaxel. This benefit in PFS was associated with an acceptable safety profile.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As demonstrated in this study, Bevacizumab based chemotherapy in first line treatment of HER2 negative MBC in Morocco and particularly in combination with Taxanes extends PFS, as confirmed in a recent meta-analysis of 3 randomised controlled phase III studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, National Institute of Oncology, Rabat, Morocco. lamya_boulaamane@hotmail.fr
authors.forename: Lamiaa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boulaamane
authors.forename: Saber
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boutayeb
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Errihani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000077143:Docetaxel; D017239:Paclitaxel; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D043823:Taxoids