Irinotecan as a Palliative Therapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients after Previous Chemotherapy

Background: This analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of irinotecan based chemotherapyfor treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) who experienced disease progression after one tothree chemotherapy regimens, including at least one anthracycline- or taxane-based.
Methods: Clinical studieswere identified using a predefined search strategy. Pooled response rates (RR) to treatment were calculated.
Results: As irinotecan based regimens, 5 clinical studies which including 217 patients with refractory MBC wereconsidered eligible for inclusion, with irinotecan, cisplatin, capecitabine, or TS-1. Systemic analysis suggestedthat, in all patients, pooled RR was 48.8% (106/217) with irinotecan based regimens. Thrombocytopenia andleukocytopenia were the main side effects. No grade III or IV renal or liver toxicity was observed. No treatmentrelated deaths occurred.
Conclusion: This systemic analysis suggests that irinotecan based regimens are beneficialand safe for treating patients with MBC after other chemotherapy.