Efficacy and safety of targeted therapy for metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer in the first-line treatment: a Bayesian network meta-analysis

• Main Authors: Feng F, Zhang T, Yin F, Liu C, Zhuang J, Qi L, Wang X, Li J, Wang L, Tian J, Sun C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2019-01-01
• Series: OncoTargets and Therapy
• Subjects: breast cancer; metastasis; HER2-positive; HER2-targeted agents; network meta-analysis; randomized controlled trial
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/efficacy-and-safety-of-targeted-therapy-for-metastatic-her2-positive-b-peer-reviewed-article-OTT

Fubin Feng,1 Tingting Zhang,2 Fang Yin,3 Cun Liu,2 Jing Zhuang,1 Lingyu Qi,2 Xue Wang,4 Jia Li,5 Lu Wang,1 Jinhui Tian,6 Changgang Sun1,7 1Department of Oncology, Weifang Traditional Chinese Hospital, Weifang, Shandong Province, China; 2College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, China; 3Department of Pediatrics, Weifang People’s Hospital, Weifang, Shandong Province, China; 4Department of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China; 5Department of Oncology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong Province, China; 6Evidence-Based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China; 7Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong Province, China Purpose: Numerous HER2-targeted therapy clinical trials have demonstrated efficacy and safety in the first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer (MBC). However, the direct or indirect comparison of these drugs is unclear. This network meta-analysis can solve this issue to some extent. Materials and methods: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for Phase II/III randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer for first-line treatment up to December 16, 2017. Paired meta-analyses were performed to compare the regimens directly with the TP (trastuzumab plus taxane) regimen. Bayesian network meta-analysis was used to synthesize available evidence of direct or indirect comparison. Results: The database search identified 1,935 articles, among which 13 articles (10 RCTs) were eligible for the analysis involving 5,177 patients treated with 11 different regimens. The progression-free survival (PFS) in the Bayesian network meta-analysis suggested that the PTP (pertuzumab and trastuzumab plus taxane) regimen had the highest probability to be the preferred treatment (surface under the cumulative ranking [SUCRA]: 0.967) followed by the TPC (carboplatin and trastuzumab plus taxane) regimen (SUCRA: 0.923). The PTP regimen (SUCRA: 0.926) was similarly preferred for overall survival (OS). For objective response rate (ORR), the PTC regimen might be the optimal treatment (SUCRA: 0.935), followed by the PTP regimen. Conclusion: Overall, PTP might be the optimal first-line treatment for HER-2-positive MBC to improve the PFS and OS. Meanwhile, TPC might be most effective treatment in terms of the ORR. Regarding safety, the two regimens showed acceptable grade 3 or greater hematologic toxicity and heart failure. Keywords: breast cancer, metastasis, HER2-positive, HER2-targeted agents, network meta-analysis, randomized controlled trial