Efficacy And Safety Of Capecitabine In The Maintenance Therapy Of Advanced Hormone-independent Breast Cancer

Objective: To explore the efficacy and safety of capecitabine in the maintenance therapy of advanced hormone-independent breast cancer Methods:All 42 patients with advanced hormone-independent breast cancer after response to fluorouracil-based chemotherapy as a first-line were divided into two groups, the maintenance therapy group(n=20) was administered capecitabine at a dose of 1000mg/m2, twice daily for 14 days,followed by a 7-day rest period, 21 days for 1 cycles, until disease progressed or can not tolerate the toxicities withdrawal.The control group(n=22) administered with regular clinical observations until disease progressed.To observe the efficacy and safety of maintenance therapy group, the difference between the two groups of progression-free survival. Results:20 cases of capecitabine maintenance therapy group, a total of 126 cycles of chemotherapy, the median cycle was 6.3 cycles. Excepting 3 patients with adverse effects due to withdrawal, were treated until disease progressed.After 2 cycles of maintenance therapy, 3 achieved partial remission,12 had stable disease and 5 had progressive disease. The objective response rate of capecitabine maintenance therapy group was 15%, disease control rate was 75%. Maintenance therapy group, the median progression-free survival was 6.7 months, the observation group, the median progression-free survival was 4.5 months, P<0.05, there was significant difference between two groups.The most common adverse effects in the maintenance therapy group was hand-foot syndrome and hematological toxicity, but to a lesser degree, mainly for Ⅰ- Ⅱ degree, myelosuppression for Ⅲ degree was 15%, and were tolerable. Conclusion: First-line chemotherapy regimen to fluoropyrimidine-based therapy benefit to patients with advanced breast cancer, capecitabine as maintenance therapy can prolong progression-free survival, toxicity can be tolerated.