Treatment and outcomes of patients in the Brain Metastases in Breast Cancer Network Registry

Eur J Cancer. 2018 Oct:102:1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2018.07.004. Epub 2018 Aug 9.

Abstract

Background: Brain metastases (BMs) have a major impact on life expectancy and quality of life for many breast cancer patients. Knowledge about treatment patterns and outcomes is limited.

Methods: We analysed clinical data of 1712 patients diagnosed with BMs from breast cancer between January 2000 and December 2016 at 80 institutions.

Results: Median age at diagnosis of BMs was 56 years (22-90 years). About 47.8% (n = 732) of patients had HER2-positive, 21.4% (n = 328) had triple-negative and 30.8% (n = 471) had hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative (luminal-like) primary tumours. The proportion of patients with HER2-positive BMs decreased comparing the years 2000-2009 with 2010-2015 (51%-44%), whereas the percentage of patients with luminal-like tumours increased (28%-34%; p = 0.0331). Patients with BMs in the posterior fossa were more often HER2 positive (n = 169/314, 53.8%) than those diagnosed with triple-negative (n = 65/314, 20.7%) or luminal-like primary breast cancer (n = 80/314, 25.5%), (p < 0.0001). Median overall survival (OS) time after development of BMs for the overall cohort was 7.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.7-8.0 months). One-year survival rate was 37.7% (95% CI: 35.2-40.1). Patients with HER2-positive tumours had the longest median OS of 11.6 months (95% CI: 10.0-13.4) compared with 5.9 months (95% CI: 5.0-7.2) for patients with luminal-like and 4.6 months (95% CI: 3.9-5.4) for patients with triple-negative tumours. Patients with HER2-positive tumours who received anti-HER2 treatment had longer median OS than those without (17.1 months versus 7.2 months, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions: Prognosis of patients after developing BMs varies significantly according to the subtype. The outcome in this cohort is similarly poor in triple-negative and HR-positive/HER2-negative patients. Our results underline the high medical need for improvement of treatment and prevention strategies for BMs in breast cancer patients.

Keywords: Brain metastases; Breast cancer; Diagnostic procedures; Survival.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis
  • Brain Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Brain Neoplasms / mortality
  • Brain Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Brain Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Breast Neoplasms / mortality
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Female
  • Germany
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / analysis
  • Registries
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / mortality
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / therapy
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • Receptor, ErbB-2