Systemic treatment of breast cancer with leptomeningeal metastases using bevacizumab, etoposide and cisplatin (BEEP regimen) significantly improves overall survival.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) with leptomeningeal metastases (LM) has dismal survival. We aim to determine if modern systemic therapy, especially the bevacizumab, cisplatin, and etoposide (BEEP) regimen, is beneficial to MBC LM patients.

Methods

We excerpted data from a prospectively collected cytopathology database for MBC patients who were diagnosed with LM by positive cerebrospinal fluid cytology. The primary outcome was OS from cytologically confirmed LM until death. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to elucidate prognostic factors.

Results

We identified 34 patients with cytologically confirmed LM. Treatments after LM diagnosis included: intrathecal methotrexate (82.4%), systemic chemotherapy (68%; BEEP n = 19, others n = 4), and wh

SUBMITTER: Chen TW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7280357 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature