Outcomes of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) of the liver in patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Abstract

e13107 Background: TACE is widely used in oncology in patients with metastasis in liver from GI tumors, meanwhile its opportunities in management pts with TNBC are unknown. The purpose of the study was to analyze the results of TACE of the liver metastases from TNBC. Methods: The study included 60 TNBC pts with unresectable liver metastases. 34 pts of the main group underwent chemotherapy including taxanes in standard regimens. After 6-12 chemotherapy cycles, the main group received 1-2 TACE procedures (doxorubicin 30 mg/m², 5-fluorouracil 600 mg/m², 10 ml of lipiodol and 1-2 ml of 300-500 µm HepaSphere microspheres). The control group (n = 32) received only 6-12 cycles of taxane-containing chemotherapy. Pts were aged 32-66 years, mean age in the main group 49.4, in controls 55 years. Primarily advanced breast cancer with unresectable liver metastases was diagnosed in 6 (17.6%) pts of the main group and in 5 (15.6%) controls. Progression after previous treatment was observed in 91.2% (31) main group and 90.6% (29) controls. Sizes of metastatic foci were 2.7-7.3 cm, average number 7.5. Bilobar metastases were most common. Liver metastases were own accompanied by metastases to the bones, intrathoracic lymph nodes, lungs and pleura. Obtained data were processed with software package “Statistica 7.0”. Results: Main group received a total of 46 TACE procedures performed for a maximal number of metastatic lesions, especially for those progressing after systemic therapy and the largest ones, when possible. Post-embolization syndrome after performing TACE, was observed in 60.86% (28) of cases, managed with conservative therapy for 2-7 days. Icterus was not observed. The tumor response rate was 94.1% in the main group vs. 80.6% in controls, with significant differences in PR (44.1% and 15.3% respectively, p < 0.05). Median of duration treatment response was 13.4 months in the main group and 9.3 months in control group (p < 0.05). CR was not achieved. Median follow-up was 17 months. 3-year disease-free survival was 63.2% in the main group and 43.8% in controls (p = 0.039). Conclusions: TACE resulted in better response to the therapy as well as improved disease-free survival in pts with TNBC. TACE is possible to be used to consolidate the achieved effect of the chemotherapy.