Vol. 4, Issue 1, Part B (2024)

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women and the leading cause of cancer deaths. The major treatment for metastatic hormone receptor–negative breast cancer is chemotherapy. It is also suggested in hormone receptor–positive breast cancer with fast advancing or symptomatic illness, visceral crises, and endocrine resistance despite targeted therapies. A rationally designed oral, tumor-activated fluoropyrimidine carbamate, capecitabine is effective in metastatic breast cancer. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of capecitabine based regimens in female patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Method: The 52 female metastatic breast cancer patients in this retrospective cross-sectional analysis got capecitabine alone or in combination with other agents. From January 2020 to December 2020, Oncology Teaching Hospital outpatient consultation clinic patients were covered. History, physical, radiological, laboratory, pathology, and molecular (ER, PR, HER2) reports were recorded. From the commencement of capecitabine until the end of treatment owing to illness progression or toxicity, months were calculated.

Results: In a study of 52 patients (mean age 52.9 ± 11.4 years), disease control was achieved in 59.6%, with a mean PFS of 11.8 months. Significant PFS difference was noted between triple-negative and non-triple-negative patients (p=0.024). Common side effects included nausea (57.7%), hand-foot syndrome (55.8%), and diarrhea (32.7%). Grade III/IV side effects led to dose reductions in 9.6% and treatment withholding in 19.2% of patients.

Conclusion: The current study's findings indicate that capecitabine is a well-tolerated and efficacious treatment for metastatic breast carcinoma. Furthermore, it is an appealing agent for outpatient treatment due to its orally administered, convenient nature.