title: Sorafenib in breast cancer treatment: A systematic review and overview of clinical trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the current role of sorafenib, an oral multikinase inhibitor in the treatment of breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  An extensive search of the literature until March 2016 was carried out in Medline and clinicaltrials.gov, by using the search terms "sorafenib" and "breast cancer". Papers found were checked for further relevant publications. Overall, 21 relevant studies were found, 18 in advanced breast cancer (16 in stage IV and two in stages III-IV) and three in early breast cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among studies in advanced breast cancer, there were two trials with sorafenib as monotherapy, four trials of sorafenib in combination with taxanes, two in combination with capecitabine, one with gemcitabine and/or capecitabine, one with vinorelbine, one with bevacizumab, one with pemetrexed and one with ixabepilone, three trials of sorafenib in combination with endocrine therapy and two trials in women with brain metastases undergoing whole brain radiotherapy. In addition, there was one trial of sorafenib added to standard chemotherapy in the adjuvant setting, and two trials in the neoadjuvant setting. In general, sorafenib was well tolerated in breast cancer patients, though its dosage had to be adjusted in some trials, and discontinuation rates were high, particularly for the combination of sorafenib with anastrozole. Sorafenib monotherapy and combinations with taxanes, bevacizumab and ixabepilone showed inadequate efficacy, while efficacy results from combinations with gemcitabine and/or capecitabine and possibly tamoxifen were more promising.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At present, sorafenib should not be used for the treatment of breast cancer outside of clinical trials and more clinical data are needed in order to support its standard use in breast cancer therapy.
authors: Menelaos Zafrakas, Panayiota Papasozomenou, Research Laboratory for Mastology, Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Health and Medical Care, Alexander Technological Institute of Thessaloniki, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Menelaos
authors: M
authors: Zafrakas
authors: Menelaos Zafrakas, Panayiota Papasozomenou, Research Laboratory for Mastology, Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Health and Medical Care, Alexander Technological Institute of Thessaloniki, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Panayiota
authors: P
authors: Papasozomenou
authors: Menelaos Zafrakas, Panayiota Papasozomenou, Research Laboratory for Mastology, Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Health and Medical Care, Alexander Technological Institute of Thessaloniki, 57400 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Christos
authors: C
authors: Emmanouilides
keywords: BRAF; Breast cancer; Kinase inhibitors; Mitogen-activated protein kinase; Sorafenib