A network meta-analysis of curative effect of different treatment methods on patients with brain metastasis of breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is a malignant tumor with the highest incidence rate worldwide, and its incidence of breast cancer brain metastases is increased in recent years. Although significant progress has been made in the systematic treatment of BC that of breast cancer brain metastases is still very difficult. Organically integrating local and systemic therapies remains an urgent problem to be solved. In this study, a network meta-analysis was performed to collect the treatment effects of different treatment measures on patients with BC brain metastasis in recent years, evaluate and screen the current best clinical treatment scheme, and assist doctors in formulating clinical treatment schemes.

Keywords were used to search databases, such as the Chinese Journal Full-text Database, VIP Chinese Science and Technology Journal Full-text Database (VP-CSJFD), Wanfang Data Journal Paper Resources (Wangfang), PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE. The retrieval period was from the establishment of each database to February 2022. Qualified randomized controlled studies were screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and Stata 16 software was adopted for mesh meta-analysis of binary variable data. Using R4 0.2 software, and calling GeMTC and JAGS packages in R software, the Bayesian network model analysis of survival data was completed.

Combined with overall response rate, disease control rate, and overall survival, whole-brain radiation therapy + 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy + Che may be the intervention measure with the highest objective remission rate for patients with brain metastasis of BC, besides, it may also be the intervention measure of the highest disease control rate in patients after treatment. In contrast, WBRT + Che may be the intervention with the lowest overall survival risk ratio after treatment.