The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) using different drug combinations
in the treatment of breast cancer liver metastases in terms of local tumor control and survival rate. A total of 208 patients
(mean age 56.4 years, range 29–81) with unresectable hepatic metastases of breast cancer were repeatedly treated with TACE
at 4-week intervals. In total, 1,068 chemoembolizations were performed (mean 5.1 sessions/patient, range 3–25). The chemotherapy
protocol consisted of mitomycin-C only (8 mg/m
2;
n = 76), mitomycin-C with gemcitabine (
n = 111), and gemcitabine only (1,000 mg/m
2;
n = 21). Embolization was performed with lipiodol and starch microspheres. Tumor response was evaluated by MRI according to
RECIST criteria. Survival rates were calculated using Kaplan-Meier method. For all protocols, local tumor control was partial
response 13% (27/208), stable disease 50.5% (105/208), and progressive disease 36.5% (76/208). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival
rates after TACE were 69, 40, and 33%. Median and mean survival times from the start of TACE were 18.5 and 30.7 months. Treatment
with mitomycin-C only showed median and mean survival times of 13.3 and 24 months, with gemcitabine only they were 11 and
22.3 months, and with a combination of mitomycin-C and gemcitabine 24.8 and 35.5 months. TACE is an optional therapy for treatment
of liver metastases in breast cancer patients with better results from the combined chemotherapy protocol.
Keywords Breast cancer - Laser ablation - Liver metastases - Chemoembolization
Thomas J. Vogl and Nagy N. N. Naguib contributed equally to the current work