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Maintenance hormonal and chemotherapy treatment in metastatic breast cancer: a systematic review
Sabrina Rossi1, Giovanni Schinzari1, Michele Basso1
1Department of Medical Oncology, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Largo A Gemelli, 8, 00168 Rome, Italy.
Abstract:
Endocrine treatment is the first-line therapy in hormone-sensitive metastatic breast cancer while chemotherapy is the first option in tumors refractory to endocrine therapy and in hormone-negative disease. Optimal duration, efficacy and safety of a maintenance endocrine therapy or chemotherapy after an induction treatment are still a matter of debate. We performed a literature review to identify studies regarding maintenance hormonal and chemotherapy treatments in metastatic breast cancer. We analyzed data relating to efficacy (improvement of progression-free survival and overall survival) and safety (symptoms relief and quality of life [QoL]). Maintenance endocrine therapy could prolong progression-free survival with a better control of symptoms and improving QoL. Maintenance chemotherapy prolong the response to a previous treatment, worsening the QoL, except for metronomic capecitabine.
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