The clinical course and treatment results of lung metastases from breast cancer

Objective: To analyse the clinical course and treatment result of lung metastases from breast cancer. Methods: 122 cases with lung metastases from breast cancer were treated by chemotherapy or chemotherapy plus endocrine therapy. Treatment results were assessed according to WHO criteria and survival rate estimated using the life table. Results: The median time from initial treatment of primary tumour to lung metastases was 22 months. Sites of common consecutive metastases were lung, liver and bone. The overall response rate was 48% with a CR rate of 15%. Compared to non-DDP-encompassing regimen, the CR rate was higher in DDP-based chemotherapy (7% versus 21%, P<0.05) with a longer median survival time (MST). The PR rate was higher in regimen containing anthracycline (48%) than in that without anthracycline (20%, P<0.01). The response rate was similar between chemotherapy and chemotherapy plus endocrine therapy (P>0.05). No difference in MST was observed between patients receiving anthracycline- and non-anthracycline- encompassing regimens. The 1-, 3-,5- and 10-year survival rate was 77%, 22%, 11% and 10%, respectively. The size of primary tumour, the length of disease- free interval, the number of lung metastases may provide additional information for predicting patients' survival after treatment of lung metastases. Conclusion: Combination chemotherapy, especially DDP-based chemotherapy may prolong survival time of patients' with lung metastases from breast cancer.