Prediction of outcome of patients with metastatic breast cancer: evaluation with prognostic factors and Nottingham prognostic index

The purpose of this study is to analyze the survival rate of patients with metastatic breast cancer and to evaluate the outcome of these patients using prognostic factors and Nottingham prognostic index. From February 1992 to August 2008, 135 patients with metastatic breast cancer were treated at the Changhua Christian Hospital. In these patients, we evaluated the significance of the following factors in predicting the survival rate after the occurrence of metastasis: age, initial stage at primary diagnosis, histological grade, Karnofsky performance status (KPS), estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor status, human epidermoid growth factor receptor 2 overexpression status, number of axillary lymph node metastasis, history of adjuvant radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, disease-free interval, status of local recurrence, status of various sites of distant metastases, number of distant metastases, and Nottingham prognostic index. The 1-, 2-, and 5-year survival rates were 53.3%, 25.2%, and 1.5%, respectively. In the univariate analysis, KPS, histological grade, ER status, initial stage at primary diagnosis, number of axillary lymph node metastasis, liver metastasis, disease-free interval, first-/second-/third-line chemotherapy for recurrence or metastasis, number of metastases, and Nottingham prognostic index had significant impact on survival. The median survival of patients determined as corresponding to Nottingham low-risk group, intermediate-risk group, and high-risk group was 29.3, 17.9, and 4.6 months, respectively. In our multivariate analysis, Karnofsky performance status (p = 0.030) and Nottingham prognostic index (p a parts per thousand currency signaEuro parts per thousand 0.0001) were significant prognostic factors for survival, while first-/second-/third-line chemotherapy for recurrence or metastasis (p = 0.002) was a significant predictor for the outcome of the treatment. The prognosis of patients with metastatic breast cancer is poor. In spite of the fact that many advances in treatment have been made, numerous additional questions have arisen; new drugs and therapeutic regimens are needed to improve the outcomes of patients, and further well-designed randomized trials are warranted.