Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

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

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Supportive Care in Cancer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Goals of work

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.

Materials and methods

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.

Main results

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 ≤ 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.

Conclusions

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.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ahmann DL, Schaid DJ, Ingle JN, Bisel HF, Schutt AJ, Buckner JC, Long HJ, Rubin J (1991) A randomized trial of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisone versus cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, and prednisone in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Am J Clin Oncol 14:179–183

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Asaka S, Fujimoto T, Akaishi J, Ogawa K, Onda M (2006) Genetic prognostic index influences patient outcome for node-positive breast cancer. Surg Today 36:793–801

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Baselga J, Tripathy D, Mendelsohn J, Baughman S, Benz CC, Dantis L, Sklarin NT, Seidman AD, Hudis CA, Moore J, Rosen PP, Twaddell T, Henderson IC, Norton L (1996) Phase II study of weekly intravenous recombinant humanized anti-p185HER2 monoclonal antibody in patients with HER2/neu-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 14:737–744

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Benson JR, Jatoi I, Keisch M, Esteva FJ, Makris A, Jordan VC (2009) Early breast cancer. Lancet 373:1463–1479

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Beslija S, Bonneterre J, Burstein H, Cocquyt V, Gnant M, Goodwin P, Heinemann V, Jassem J, Köstler WJ, Krainer M, Menard S, Petit T, Petruzelka L, Possinger K, Schmid P, Stadtmauer E, Stockler M, Van Belle S, Vogel C, Wilcken N, Wiltschke C, Zielinski CC, Zwierzina H (2007) Second consensus on medical treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Ann Oncol 18:215–225

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Bièche I, Onody P, Tozlu S, Driouch K, Vidaud M, Lidereau R (2003) Prognostic value of ERBB family mRNA expression in breast carcinomas. Int J Cancer 106:758–765

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Bissery MC, Guenard D, Gueritte-Voegelein F, Lavelle F (1991) Experimental antitumor activity of taxotere (RP56976, NSC 628503), a taxol analogue. Cancer Res 51:4845–4852

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Buzdar AU (2003) Advances in endocrine treatments for postmenopausal women with metastatic and early breast cancer. Oncologist 8:335–341

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Buzdar A, Douma J, Davidson N, Elledge R, Morgan M, Smith R, Porter L, Nabholtz J, Xiang X, Brady C (2001) Phase III, multicenter, double blind, randomized study of letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, for advanced breast cancer versus megestrol acetate. J Clin Oncol 19:3357–3366

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Buzdar A, Jonat W, Howell A, Jones SE, Blomqvist C, Vogel CL, Eiermann W, Wolter JM, Azab M, Webster A, Plourde PV (1996) Anastrozole, a potent and selective aromatase inhibitor, versus megestrol acetate in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer: results of overview analysis of two phase III trials. Arimidex Study Group. J Clin Oncol 14:2000–2011

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Campone M, Cortes-Funes H, Vorobiof D, Martin M, Slabber CF, Ciruelos E, Bourbouloux E, Mendiola C, Delgado FM, Colin C, Aslanis V, Fumoleau P (2006) Vinflunine: a new active drug for second-line line treatment of advanced breast cancer. Results of Phase II and pharmacokinetic study in patients progressing after first-line anthracycline/taxane-based chemotherapy. Br J Cancer 95:1161–1166

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Campos SM, Guastalla JP, Subar M, Abreu P, Winer EP, Cameron DA (2009) A comparative study of exemestane versus anastrozole in patients with postmenopausal breast cancer with visceral metastases. Clin Breast Cancer 9:39–44

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Carter CL, Allen C, Henson DE (1989) Relation of tumor size, lymph node status, and survival in 24,740 breast cancer cases. Cancer 63:181–187

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Cheng SH, Horng CF, Clarke JL, Tsou MH, Tsai SY, Chen CM, Jian JJ, Liu MC, West M, Huang AT, Prosnitz LR (2006) Prognostic index score and clinical prediction model of local regional recurrence after mastectomy in breast cancer patients. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 64:1401–1409

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Cianfrocca M, Goldstein LJ (2004) Prognostic and predictive factors in early-stage breast cancer. Oncologist 9:606–616

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Cobleigh MA, Vogel CL, Tripathy D, Robert NJ, Scholl S, Fehrenbacher L, Wolter JM, Paton V, Shak S, Lieberman G, Slamon DJ (1999) Multinational study of the efficacy and safety of humanized anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody in women who have HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer that has progressed after chemotherapy for metastatic disease. J Clin Oncol 17:2639–2648

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Colozza M, De Azambuja E, Personeni N, Lebrun F, Piccart MJ, Cardoso F (2007) Achievements in systemic therapies in the pregenomic era in metastatic breast cancer. Oncologist 12:253–270

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. D'Eredita' G, Giardina C, Martellotta M, Natale T, Ferrarese F (2001) Prognostic factors in breast cancer: the predictive value of the Nottingham Prognostic Index in patients with a long-term follow-up that were treated in a single institution. Eur J Cancer 37:591–596

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Di Leo A, Gomez HL, Aziz Z, Zvirbule Z, Bines J, Arbushites MC, Guerrera SF, Koehler M, Oliva C, Stein SH, Williams LS, Dering J, Finn RS, Press MF (2008) Phase III, double-blind, randomized study comparing lapatinib plus paclitaxel with placebo plus paclitaxel as first-line treatment for metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 26:5544–5552

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Dobbe E, Gurney K, Kiekow S, Lafferty JS, Kolesar JM (2008) Gene-expression assays: new tools to individualize treatment of early-stage breast cancer. Am J Health Syst Pharm 65:23–28

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Dombernowsky P, Smith I, Falkson G, Leonard R, Panasci L, Bellmunt J, Bezwoda W, Gardin G, Gudgeon A, Morgan M, Fornasiero A, Hoffmann W, Michel J, Hatschek T, Tjabbes T, Chaudri HA, Hornberger U, Trunet PF (1998) Letrozole, a new oral aromatase inhibitor for advanced breast cancer: double-blind randomized trial showing a dose effect and improved efficacy and tolerability compared with megestrol acetate. J Clin Oncol 16:453–461

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Dowsett M, Dunbier AK (2008) Emerging biomarkers and new understanding of traditional markers in personalized therapy for breast cancer. Clin Cancer Res 14:8019–8026

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Gasparini G, Pozza F, Harris AL (1993) Evaluating the potential usefulness of new prognostic and predictive indicators in node-negative breast cancer patients. J Natl Cancer Inst 85:1206–1219

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Geyer CE, Forster J, Lindquist D, Chan S, Romieu CG, Pienkowski T, Jagiello-Gruszfeld A, Crown J, Chan A, Kaufman B, Skarlos D, Campone M, Davidson N, Berger M, Oliva C, Rubin SD, Stein S, Cameron D (2006) Lapatinib plus capecitabine for HER2-positive advanced breast cancer. N Engl J Med 355:2733–2743

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Greenberg PA, Hortobagyi GN, Smith TL, Ziegler LD, Frye DK, Buzdar AU (1996) Long-term follow-up of patients with complete remission following combination chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 14:2197–2205

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Gusterson BA, Gelber A, Goldhirsch A, Price KN, Save-Soderborgh J, Anbazhagan R, Styles J, Rudenstam CM, Golouh R, Reed R (1992) Prognostic importance of c-erb-2 expression in breast cancer: International (Ludwig) Breast Cancer Study Group. J Clin Oncol 10:1049–1056

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Harris L, Fritsche H, Mennel R, Norton L, Ravdin P, Taube S, Somerfield MR, Hayes DF, Bast RC Jr (2007) American Society of Clinical Oncology 2007 update of recommendations for the use of tumor markers in breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 25:5287–5312

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Hayat MJ, Howlader N, Reichman ME, Edwards BK (2007) Cancer statistics, trends, and multiple primary cancer analyses from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. Oncologist 12:20–37

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Hayes DF, Trock B, Harris AL (1998) Assessing the clinical impact of prognostic factors: when is “statistically significant” clinically useful? Breast Cancer Res Treat 52:305–319

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Hortobagyi GN, Smith TL, Legha SS, Swenerton KD, Gehan EA, Yap HY, Buzdar AU, Blumenschein GR (1983) Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors in metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 1:776–786

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Hsu HC, Chang HK, Lin YC, Hseu S, Chen JS, Yang TS, Wang HM, Shen WC (2009) The role of HER2 in metastatic breast cancer treated with a combination of taxanes and cisplatin. Chang Gung Med J 32:33–41

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Huang CS, Kuo SH, Lien HC, Yang SY, You SL, Shen CY, Lin CH, Lu YS, Chang KJ (2008) The CYP19 TTTA repeat polymorphism is related to the prognosis of premenopausal stage I–II and operable stage III breast cancers. Oncologist 13:751–760

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Jonat W, Howell A, Blomqvist C, Eiermann W, Winblad G, Tyrrell C, Mauriac L, Roche H, Lundgren S, Hellmund R, Azab M (1996) A randomised trial comparing two doses of the new selective aromatase inhibitor anastrozole (Arimidex) with megestrol acetate in postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer. Eur J Cancer 32A:404–412

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Jones SE (2008) Metastastic breast cancer: the treatment challenge. Clin Breast Cancer 8:224–233

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Jones RL, Salter J, A'Hern R, Nerurkar A, Parton M, Reis-Filho JS, Smith IE, Dowsett M (2009) The prognostic significance of Ki67 before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 116:53–68

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Kassam F, Enright K, Dent R, Dranitsaris G, Myers J, Flynn C, Fralick M, Kumar R, Clemons M (2009) Survival outcomes for patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer: implications for clinical practice and trial design. Clin Breast Cancer 9:29–33

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Kaufmann M, Bajetta E, Dirix LY, Fein LE, Jones SE, Zilembo N, Dugardyn JL, Nasurdi C, Mennel RG, Cervek J, Fowst C, Polli A, di Salle E, Arkhipov A, Piscitelli G, Miller LL, Massimini G (2000) Exemestane is superior to megestrol acetate after tamoxifen failure in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer: results of a phase III randomized double blind trial. The Exemestane Study Group. J Clin Oncol 18:1399–1411

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Klijn JG, Blamey RW, Boccardo F, Tominaga T, Duchateau L, Sylvester R, Combined Hormone Agents Trialists' Group and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (2001) Combined tamoxifen and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist versus LHRH agonist alone in premenopausal advanced breast cancer: a meta-analysis of four randomized trials. J Clin Oncol 19:343–353

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Koutras AK, Fountzilas G, Kalogeras KT, Starakis I, Iconomou G, Kalofonos HP (2009) The upgraded role of HER3 and HER4 receptors in breast cancer. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol (in press)

  40. Koutras AK, Kalogeras KT, Dimopoulos MA, Wirtz RM, Dafni U, Briasoulis E, Pectasides D, Gogas H, Christodoulou C, Aravantinos G, Zografos G, Timotheadou E, Papakostas P, Linardou H, Razis E, Economopoulos T, Kalofonos HP, Fountzilas G, Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group (HeCOG) (2008) Evaluation of the prognostic and predictive value of HER family mRNA expression in high-risk early breast cancer: a Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group (HeCOG) study. Br J Cancer 99:1775–1785

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Kuo WH, Yen AM, Lee PH, Chen KM, Wang J, Chang KJ, Chen TH, Tsau HS (2009) Cumulative survival in early-onset unilateral and bilateral breast cancer: an analysis of 1907 Taiwanese women. Br J Cancer 100:563–570

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Liberato NL, Marchetti M, Barosi G (2007) Cost effectiveness of adjuvant trastuzumab in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 25:625–633

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Lin PP, Allison DC, Wainstock J et al (1993) Impact of axillary lymph node dissection on the therapy of breast cancer patients. J Clin Oncol 11:1536–1544

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Lin YC, Chang HK, Chen JS, Wang HM, Yang TS, Liaw CC (2007) A phase II randomized study of two taxanes and cisplatin for metastatic breast cancer after anthracycline: a final analysis. Jpn J Clin Oncol 37:23–29

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Lin CH, Liau JY, Lu YS, Huang CS, Lee WC, Kuo KT, Shen YC, Kuo SH, Lan C, Liu JM, Kuo WH, Chang KJ, Cheng AL (2009) Molecular subtypes of breast cancer emerging in young women in Taiwan: evidence for more than just westernization as a reason for the disease in Asia. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 18:1807–1814

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Lueck H, Minckwitz GV, Du Bois A, Schrader I, Huober J, Heilmann V, Beckmann M, Stähle A, Jackisch C, Marth C, Richter B (2006) Epirubicin/paclitaxel (EP) vs. capecitabine/paclitaxel (XP) in first-line metastatic breast cancer (MBC): a prospective, randomized multicentre phase III study of the AGO breast cancer study group. J Clin Oncol 24(suppl 18):517

    Google Scholar 

  47. Marty M, Cognetti F, Maraninchi D, Snyder R, Mauriac L, Tubiana-Hulin M, Chan S, Grimes D, Antón A, Lluch A, Kennedy J, O'Byrne K, Conte P, Green M, Ward C, Mayne K, Extra JM (2005) Randomized phase II trial of the efficacy and safety of trastuzumab combined with docetaxel in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive metastatic breast cancer administered as first-line treatment: the M77001 Study Group. J Clin Oncol 23:4265–4274

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. McCready DR, Chapman JA, Hanna WM, Kahn HJ, Murray D, Fish EB, Trudeau ME, Andrulis IL, Lickley HL (2000) Factors affecting distant disease-free survival for primary invasive breast cancer: use of a log-normal survival model. Ann Surg Oncol 7:416–426

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Miller DV, Leontovich AA, Lingle WL, Suman VJ, Mertens ML, Lillie J, Ingalls KA, Perez EA, Ingle JN, Couch FJ, Visscher DW (2004) Utilizing Nottingham Prognostic Index in microarray gene expression profiling of breast carcinomas. Mod Pathol 17:756–764

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Miller K, Wang M, Gralow J, Dickler M, Cobleigh M, Perez EA, Shenkier T, Cella D, Davidson NE (2007) Paclitaxel plus bevacizumab versus paclitaxel alone for metastatic breast cancer. N Engl J Med 357:2666–2676

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Mouridsen HT, Rose C, Brodie AH, Smith IE (2003) Challenges in the endocrine management of breast cancer. Breast 12(Suppl 2):S2–S19

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Naresh A, Thor AD, Edgerton SM, Torkko KC, Kumar R, Jones FE (2008) The HER4/4ICD estrogen receptor coactivator and BH3-only protein is an effector of tamoxifen-induced apoptosis. Cancer Res 68:6387–6395

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Neville AM, Bettelheim R, Gelber RD, Gelber RD, Säve-Söderbergh J, Davis BW, Reed R, Torhorst J, Golouh R, Peterson HF, Price KN (1992) Factors predicting treatment responsiveness and prognosis in node-negative breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 10:696–705

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Okugawa H, Yamamoto D, Uemura Y, Sakaida N, Yamada M, Tanaka K, Kamiyama Y (2005) Prognostic factors in breast cancer: the value of the Nottingham Prognostic Index for patients treated in a single institution. Surg Today 35:907–911

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Osborne CK (1992) Prognostic factors for breast cancer: have they met their promise? J Clin Oncol 10:679–682

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Pawlowski V, Révillion F, Hebbar M, Hornez L, Peyrat JP (2000) Prognostic value of the type I growth factor receptors in a large series of human primary breast cancers quantified with a real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction assay. Clin Cancer Res 6:4217–4225

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Pietras RJ, Arboleda J, Reese DM, Wongvipat N, Pegram MD, Ramos L, Gorman CM, Parker MG, Sliwkowski MX, Slamon DJ (1995) HER-2 tyrosine kinase pathway targets estrogen receptor and promotes hormone-independent growth in human breast cancer cells. Oncogene 10:2435–2446

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Pietras RJ, Fendly BM, Chazin VR, Pegram MD, Howell SB, Slamon DJ (1994) Antibody to HER-2/neu receptor blocks DNA repair after cisplatin in human breast and ovarian cancer cells. Oncogene 9:1829–1838

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Pritchard K, Shepherd LE, O’Malley FP, Andrulis IL, Tu D, Bramwell VH, Levine MN, National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group (2006) HER2 and responsiveness of breast cancer to adjuvant chemotherapy. N Engl J Med 354:2103–2111

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Ravdin PM, Siminoff LA, Davis GJ, Mercer MB, Hewlett J, Gerson N, Parker HL (2001) Computer program to assist in making decisions about adjuvant therapy for women with early breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 19:980–991

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Robertson JF, Dixon AR, Nicholson RI, Ellis IO, Elston CW, Blamey RW (1992) Confirmation of a prognostic index for patients with metastatic breast cancer treated by endocrine therapy. Breast Cancer Res Treat 22:221–227

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Robinovich M, Vallejo C, Bianco A, Perez J, Machiavelli M, Leone B, Romero A, Rodriguez R, Cuevas M, Dansky C, Xynos F, Alvarez L (1992) Development and validation of prognostic models in metastatic breast cancer: a GOCS Study. Oncology 49:188–195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  63. Rosen PP, Groshen S, Kinne DW, Norton L (1993) Factors influencing prognosis in node negative breast carcinoma: analysis of 767 TINOMO/T2NOMO patients with long term follow-up. J Clin Oncol 11:2090–2100

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Saltz LB, Clarke S, Díaz-Rubio E, Scheithauer W, Figer A, Wong R, Koski S, Lichinitser M, Yang TS, Rivera F, Couture F, Sirzén F, Cassidy J (2008) Bevacizumab in combination with oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy as first-line therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer: a randomized phase III study. J Clin Oncol 26:2013–2019

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Schneider BP, Wang M, Radovich M, Sledge GW, Badve S, Thor A, Flockhart DA, Hancock B, Davidson N, Gralow J, Dickler M, Perez EA, Cobleigh M, Shenkier T, Edgerton S, Miller KD (2008) Association of vascular endothelial growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 genetic polymorphisms with outcome in a trial of paclitaxel compared with paclitaxel plus bevacizumab in advanced breast cancer: ECOG 2100. J Clin Oncol 26:4672–4678

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Shepherd FA, Tsao MS (2006) Unraveling the mystery of prognostic and predictive factors in epidermal growth factor receptor therapy. J Clin Oncol 24:1219–1220

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Sidoni A, Bellezza G, Cavaliere A, Del Sordo R, Scheibel M, Bucciarelli E (2004) Prognostic indexes in breast cancer: comparison of the Nottingham and Adelaide indexes. Breast 13:23–27

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  68. Slamon DJ, Leyland-Jones B, Shak S, Fuchs H, Paton V, Bajamonde A, Fleming T, Eiermann W, Wolter J, Pegram M, Baselga J, Norton L (2001) Use of chemotherapy plus a monoclonal antibody against HER2 for metastatic breast cancer that overexpresses HER2. N Engl J Med 344:783–792

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. Sledge GW Jr (1996) Should we dream the impossible dream? The meaning of long-term survival in metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 14:2191–2193

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Soerjomataram I, Louwman MWJ, Ribot JG, Roukema JA, Coebergh JWW (2008) An overview of prognostic factors for long-term survivors of breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 107:309–330

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  71. Sun YF, Leu JD, Chen SM, Lin IF, Lee YJ (2009) Results based on 124 cases of breast cancer and 97 controls from Taiwan suggest that the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP309) in the MDM2 gene promoter is associated with earlier onset and increased risk of breast cancer. BMC Cancer 9:13

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  72. Suo Z, Risberg B, Kalsson MG, Willman K, Tierens A, Skovlund E, Nesland JM (2002) EGFR family expression in breast carcinomas. c-erbB-2 and c-erbB-4 receptors have different effects on survival. J Pathol 196:17–25

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  73. Swenerton KD, Legha SS, Smith T, Hortobagyi GN, Gehan EA, Yap HY, Gutterman JU, Blumenschein GR (1979) Prognostic factors in metastatic breast cancer treated with combination chemotherapy. Cancer Res 39:1552–1562

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  74. Telli ML, Carlson RW (2009) First-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer. Clin Breast Cancer 9:S66–S72

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  75. Vallböhmer D, Lenz HJ (2006) Predictive and prognostic molecular markers in outcome of esophageal cancer. Dis Esophagus 19:425–432

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  76. Verma S, Clemons M (2007) First-line treatment options for patients with HER-2 negative metastatic breast cancer: the impact of modern adjuvant chemotherapy. Oncologist 12:785–797

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  77. Verweij J, Clavel M, Chevalier B (1994) Paclitaxel (Taxol™) and docetaxel (Taxotere™): not simply two of a kind. Ann Oncol 5:495–505

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  78. Viani GA, Afonso SL, Stefano EJ, De Fendi LI, Soares FV (2007) Adjuvant trastuzumab in the treatment f HER-2-positive early breast cancer: a meta-analysis of published randomized trials. BMC Cancer 7:153–163

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. Vogel CL, Cobleigh MA, Tripathy D, Gutheil JC, Harris LN, Fehrenbacher L, Slamon DJ, Murphy M, Novotny WF, Burchmore M, Shak S, Stewart SJ, Press M (2002) Efficacy and safety of trastuzumab as a single agent in first-line treatment of HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 20:719–726

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  80. Wang Y, Klijn JG, Zhang Y, Sieuwerts AM, Look MP, Yang F, Talantov D, Timmermans M, Meijer-van Gelder ME, Yu J, Jatkoe T, Berns EM, Atkins D, Foekens JA (2005) Gene-expression profiles to predict distant metastasis of lymph-node-negative primary breast cancer. Lancet 365:671–679

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  81. Williams MR, Todd JH, Nicholson RI, Elston CW, Blamey RW, Griffiths K (1986) Survival patterns in hormone treated advanced breast cancer. Br J Surg 73:752–755

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  82. Winstanley J, Cooke T, Murray GD, Platt-Higgins A, George WD, Holt S, Myskov M, Spedding A, Barraclough BR, Rudland PS (1991) The long term prognostic significance of c-erbB-2 in primary breast cancer. Br J Cancer 63:447–450

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  83. Witton CJ, Reeves JR, Going JJ, Cooke TG, Bartlett JM (2003) Expression of the HER1–4 family of receptor tyrosine kinases in breast cancer. J Pathol 200:290–297

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  84. Wolff AC, Hammond ME, Schwartz JN, Hagerty KL, Allred DC, Cote RJ, Dowsett M, Fitzgibbons PL, Hanna WM, Langer A, McShane LM, Paik S, Pegram MD, Perez EA, Press MF, Rhodes A, Sturgeon C, Taube SE, Tubbs R, Vance GH, van de Vijver M, Wheeler TM, Hayes DF (2007) American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists guideline recommendations for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 testing in breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 25:118–145

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  85. Yamamoto N, Watanabe T, Katsumata N, Omuro Y, Ando M, Fukuda H, Takue Y, Narabayashi M, Adachi I, Takashima S (1998) Construction and validation of a practical prognostic index for patients with metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 16:2401–2408

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  86. Yeh KH, Lu YS, Hsu CH, Lin JF, Chao HJ, Huang TC, Chung CY, Chang CS, Yang CH, Cheng AL (2005) Phase II study of weekly vinorelbine and 24-h infusion of high-dose 5-fluorouracil plus leucovorin as first-line treatment of advanced breast cancer. Br J Cancer 92:1013–1018

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Changhua Christian Hospital, 135, Nan Shiau Street, Changhua, Taiwan, 500, Republic of China

    Mu-Tai Liu, Chia-Chun Huang, Tung-Hao Chang, Chu-Pin Pi & Hao-Han Yang

  2. Department of Oncology, National Taiwan University Hospital, 7, Chung San South Road, Taipei, Taiwan, 100, Republic of China

    Mu-Tai Liu & Chao-Yuan Huang

  3. Department of Radiological Technology, Yuanpei University of Science and Technology, Hsinchu, Taiwan, 300, Republic of China

    Mu-Tai Liu, Wen-Tao Huang & Ai-Yih Wang

  4. Department of Medicine, Chang Shan Medical University, 110, Section 1, Chien- Kuo N. Road, Taichung, Taiwan, 402, Republic of China

    Mu-Tai Liu

Authors
  1. Mu-Tai Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wen-Tao Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ai-Yih Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Chia-Chun Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Chao-Yuan Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Tung-Hao Chang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Chu-Pin Pi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Hao-Han Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mu-Tai Liu.

Additional information

The work submitted to Journal of Supportive Care in Cancer has not been published elsewhere in any form and it is not being submitted simultaneously to another journal.

All authors have read and approved the manuscript. Upon acceptance of a manuscript for publication, no published material may be reproduced or published elsewhere without the written permission of the publisher of Journal of Supportive Care in Cancer.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Liu, MT., Huang, WT., Wang, AY. et al. Prediction of outcome of patients with metastatic breast cancer: evaluation with prognostic factors and Nottingham prognostic index. Support Care Cancer 18, 1553–1564 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-009-0778-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-009-0778-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation