Comparison of cardiac events associated with liposomal doxorubicin, epirubicin and doxorubicin in breast cancer: a Bayesian network meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
Anthracyclines play a broad and important role in the care of patients with either operable or metastatic breast cancer. However cardiotoxicity narrows the therapeutic index of this drug class leading to potentially clinically meaningful treatment delays or discontinuations. We conducted a Bayesian network meta-analysis, a validated statistical methodology, allowing direct and indirect comparison of cardiotoxicity of different anthracycline and non-anthracycline regimens.


METHODS
We conducted a systematic review of prospective randomised controlled trials through MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Google Scholar comparing non-anthracycline based regimens (NON), doxorubicin (DOX), epirubicin (EPI) and liposomal doxorubicin (LD). We included studies published up to 1st January 2014 in both adjuvant and metastatic contexts. Notably, HER2/neu-targeted regimens were excluded. We assessed the studies' eligibility criteria and data collection with consensus of two independent authors. Our primary outcome measure was cardiac events grade 3 or greater (CE3) in accordance with Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) Version 4.0. A Bayesian pairwise and network meta-analysis was conducted to estimate pooled Odds Ratio (OR).


RESULTS
Nineteen randomised controlled trials met eligibility criteria and were included in this analysis. We found a trend showing that LD is less cardiotoxic than DOX with an OR of 0.60 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.34-1.07) There was no difference between Epi and LD with an OR of 0.95 (95%CI 0.39-2.33). DOX is more cardiotoxic than Non with an OR of 1.57 (95%CI 0.90-2.72).


CONCLUSIONS
DOX has higher CE3 rates than NON does. LD statistically trended to lower cardiac event rates than DOX. Non-statistical significance among EPI, LD and DOX with regard to cardiac toxicity indicates that avoidance of CE3 should not motivate selection of a particular anthracycline in otherwise healthy women in whom total lifetime anthracycline exposure will likely be limited. Overall low incidence of CE3 with any type of anthracycline indicates that we can safely use any anthracycline if cumulative dose limits are not exceeded. While CE3 does not limit our choice of anthracycline LD appears to be the least cardiotoxic.


BACKGROUND
Takeo Fujii is supported by the grant named Young Investigator Award for Study Abroad in Clinical Epidemiology from St. Luke's Life Science Institution.
Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, 16th Street and 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003, USA.
Norihiro
N
Yamaguchi
Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030, USA; School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1200 Herman-Pressler Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Takeo
T
Fujii
Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, 16th Street and 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003, USA.
Shunsuke
S
Aoi
Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, 16th Street and 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003, USA. Electronic address: pkozuch@chpnet.org.
Peter S
PS
Kozuch
Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1155 Pressler, Suite CPB5.3466, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Gabriel N
GN
Hortobagyi
Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, 16th Street and 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003, USA.
Ronald H
RH
Blum
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018579:Patient Selection; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; C506643:liposomal doxorubicin; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D015251:Epirubicin; D004317:Doxorubicin
Anthracycline; Breast cancer; Cardiac events; Cardiomyopathy; Cardiotoxicity; Network meta-analysis