Brain metastases in patients who receive trastuzumab-containing chemotherapy for HER2
 

Brain metastases in patients who receive trastuzumab-containing chemotherapy for HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer
International Journal of Clinical Oncology, 02/25/09 <TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top noWrap>http://www.mdlinx.com/images/n_print.gif Print http://www.mdlinx.com/images/n_email.gif Email This Article http://www.mdlinx.com/images/n_save.gif Save in My Library </TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>http://www.mdlinx.com/images/n_archive.gif Free Abstract </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #335566 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 20px; BORDER-TOP: #335566 1px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 20px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 20px; BORDER-LEFT: #335566 1px solid; PADDING-TOP: 20px; BORDER-BOTTOM: #335566 1px solid" vAlign=top>Ono M et al. - In a trial to examine risk factors for development of brain metastasis in pts with HER2-overexpressing breast cancer who were treated with trastuzumab, it was shown that these pts had a high incidence of brain metastases (36.3%). Routine screening for brain metastases 1 yr after the start of trastuzumab treatment may be warranted in younger pts (≤50 yrs) who had recurrent breast cancer with liver metastases.
Methods

• 204 pts with HER-2-overexpressing breast cancer who were treated with a trastuzumab-containing regimen were reviewed.
• Pts with clinical symptoms were diagnosed as having brain metastases when brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or a computed tomography (CT) scan revealed positive findings for brain metastases.
• Median follow-up time of this cohort was 53.6 mos.

Results

• Among the pts who received a trastuzumabcontaining regimen, 74 pts (36.3%) developed brain metastases.
• Median survival from diagnosis of brain metastases was 13.5 mos.
• Median time between beginning of trastuzumab treatment and diagnosis of brain metastases was 13.6 mos.
• Among pts with brain metastases, median overall survival period was 39 mos.
• A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (≤50 yrs), recurrent breast cancer, and liver metastases were significant risk factors for development of brain metastases.

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