Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist plus an aromatase inhibitor as second-line endocrine therapy in premenopausal females with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the current study was to explore the efficacy and safety of combination therapy using a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist plus an aromatase inhibitor (AI) as second-line therapy in premenopausal females with hormone receptor (HR)-positive recurrent or metastatic breast cancer (MBC).


METHODS
A retrospective analysis was conducted in patients registered in the breast cancer database of our institution between January 2001 and December 2012. The breast cancer database identified 14 premenopausal patients who had been treated with an LHRH agonist plus AI for HR-positive recurrent or MBC.


RESULTS
Fourteen patients with recurrent breast cancer (N = 10) or metastatic disease at primary diagnosis (N = 4) were included in the present study. All patients had previously been treated with an LHRH agonist plus tamoxifen. The clinical benefit rate was 71.4% and the median TTP was 11 months (95% confidence interval 1.7-20.3 months). One patient discontinued treatment because of liver dysfunction (grade 3).


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of an LHRH agonist plus an AI is a treatment option for premenopausal females with HR-positive MBC that can prolong the chemotherapy-free interval and yield effective disease stabilization.
Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, 811-1395, Japan, ktanaka@surg2.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp.
Kimihiro
K
Tanaka
Eriko
E
Tokunaga
Nami
N
Yamashita
Kenji
K
Taketani
Sayuri
S
Akiyoshi
Masaru
M
Morita
Yoshihiko
Y
Maehara
D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D017697:Premenopause; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D013629:Tamoxifen; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human