title: A systemic analysis on pemetrexed in treating patients with breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This systemic analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed based chemotherapy in treating patients with metastatic breast cancer as first or second line chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed based regimens on response and safety for patients with breast cancer were identified using a predefined search strategy. Pooled response rate (RR) of treatment were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In first line pemetrexed based regimens, 10 clinical studies which including 513 patients with advanced breast cancer were considered eligible for inclusion. For second line pemetrexed based chemotherapy, 5 clinical studies which including 281 patients with advanced breast cancer were considered eligible. Systemic analysis suggested that, in all patients, pooled RR was 32.6% (167/513) in pemetrexed based first line regimens, and 13.9 % (39/281) in pemetrexed based second line regimens. Major adverse effects were neutropenia, leukopenia, fatigue, and anemia in pemetrexed based first line treatment; and lymphopenia, neutropenia, leukopenia, as well as anemia in second line chemotherapy. One treatment related death occurred with pemetrexed based second line treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This systemic analysis suggests that pemetrexed based first line regimens are associated with a reasonable response rate and acceptable toxicity, however with low response rate for treating patients with metastatic breast cancer when is used in the second line.
authors: Department of Breast Surgery, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China E-mail : hopejphzhopejphz@sina.com.
authors: Fang
authors: F
authors: Wan
authors: Xin
authors: X
authors: Chen
authors: Li-Fan
authors: LF
authors: Dong
authors: Yue-Hong
authors: YH
authors: Cheng
authors: Jing-Pei
authors: JP
authors: Long
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005971:Glutamates / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006147:Guanine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D000068437:Pemetrexed
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005971:Glutamates; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D006147:Guanine