Prognostic value and mode selection of locoregional treatment in Stage-IV breast cancer patients

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the actual prognostic significance of different locoregional treatment (LRT) (surgery and radiotherapy) modalities for stage-IV breast cancer (BC) patients and construct a competing risk nomogram to make precise predictions of the breast cancer-specific death (BCSD) risk among LRT recipients. Methods: A total of 9279 eligible stage-IV BC patients from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database were included in this study. Initially, we evaluated the impact of LRT on survival both before and after the propensity score matching (PSM). Then, we used the Cox hazard proportional model and competing risk model to identify the independent prognostic factors for LRT recipients. Based on the screened variables, a comprehensive nomogram was established. Results: Kaplan–Meier curves demonstrated that LRT significantly prolonged overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) (P < 0.001). In addition, patients treated with surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) possessed the optimal survival (P < 0.001). Regardless of the surgical modalities, primary tumor resection combined with radiotherapy could ameliorate the prognosis (P < 0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that in patients with T2-T4 stage, PORT had a survival benefit compared with those undergoing surgery combined with preoperative radiotherapy (PRRT) and surgery only. Based on the screened independent prognostic factors, we established a comprehensive nomogram to forecast BCSD in 1 year, 2 years and 3 years, which showed robust predictive ability. Conclusion: PORT was associated with a lower BCSD in stage-IV BC patients. The practical nomogram could provide a precise prediction of BCSD for LRT recipients, which was meaningful for patients’ individualized management.