A Systemic Analysis on Pemetrexed in Treating Patients with Breast Cancer

Background: This systemic analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed basedchemotherapy in treating patients with metastatic breast cancer as first or second line chemotherapy.
Methods:Clinical studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed based regimens on response and safety forpatients with breast cancer were identified using a predefined search strategy. Pooled response rate (RR) oftreatment were calculated.
Results: In first line pemetrexed based regimens, 10 clinical studies which including513 patients with advanced breast cancer were considered eligible for inclusion. For second line pemetrexedbased chemotherapy, 5 clinical studies which including 281 patients with advanced breast cancer were consideredeligible. Systemic analysis suggested that, in all patients, pooled RR was 32.6% (167/513) in pemetrexed basedfirst line regimens, and 13.9 % (39/281) in pemetrexed based second line regimens. Major adverse effects wereneutropenia, leukopenia, fatigue, and anemia in pemetrexed based first line treatment; and lymphopenia,neutropenia, leukopenia, as well as anemia in second line chemotherapy. One treatment related death occurredwith pemetrexed based second line treatment.
Conclusion: This systemic analysis suggests that pemetrexedbased first line regimens are associated with a reasonable response rate and acceptable toxicity, however withlow response rate for treating patients with metastatic breast cancer when is used in the second line.