gms | German Medical Science

27th German Cancer Congress Berlin 2006

German Cancer Society (Frankfurt/M.)

22. - 26.03.2006, Berlin

Outpatient care in metastatic breast cancer

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author presenting/speaker Rudolf Weide - Praxisklinik für Hämatologie und Onkologie, Koblenz, Deutschland
  • Holger Arndt - Praxisklinik für Hämatologie und Onkologie, Koblenz
  • Annette Pandorf - Praxisklinik für Hämatologie und Onkologie, Koblenz
  • Jörg Thomalla - Praxisklinik für Hämatologie und Onkologie, Koblenz
  • Jochen Heymanns - Praxisklinik für Hämatologie und Onkologie, Koblenz
  • Hubert Köppler - Praxisklinik für Hämatologie und Onkologie, Koblenz

27. Deutscher Krebskongress. Berlin, 22.-26.03.2006. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2006. DocPE050

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dkk2006/06dkk160.shtml

Published: March 20, 2006

© 2006 Weide et al.
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Outline

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Background: Metastatic breast cancer is an incurable disease with a median survival of 18-24 months. Only few data are available about the treatment outcome of patients being treated almost entirely as outpatients.

Patients and Methods: 374 consecutive patients (pat) with metastatic breast cancer treated between 06/1995 – 02/2005 in a community based oncology group practice were evaluated retrospectively. Data were collected from patient files into a computerized data base (megamanagerâ). The following parameters were evaluated at primary diagnosis and at the time of first metastasis: Age, tumor size, tumor grading, histology, nodal status, number and site of metastasis, time between primary diagnosis and diagnosis of metastatic disease, ER and PR-status, HER2-neu-expression, type of operation and adjuvant therapy, type of therapy in metastatic disease, number, duration and toxicity of palliative therapy, frequency, cause and duration of hospitalisation, place of death (hospital, hospice, old pensioners home, at home), overall survival since primary diagnosis and since first diagnosis of metastatic disease and since the start of palliative therapy.

Results: Median age of the pat was 60 (32-93). Median time between the primary diagnosis of breast cancer and the diagnosis of metastastic disease was 27 months (0-362). Overall survival since the diagnosis of metastastic disease was 30 months (0-181). 42% of pat died at home, 45% in hospital, 4% in a hospice and 2% in an old pensioners home. 19% received endocrine therapy, 25% chemotherapy and 56% received a combination of both. A median of two chemotherapy lines was applied (1-11) per patient. The main grade 3/4 toxicities of palliative chemotherapy were: Hematotoxicity, mucotoxicity, neurotoxicity. Therapy associated hospitalisations occurred in 7 pat with a median duration of 8 days (3-14).

Conclusion: Pat with metastatic breast cancer can be treated almost entirely on an ambulant basis. Toxicity of palliative therapy is usually mild and therapy associated hospitalisation is seen rarely. Overall survival compares favorably to the survival seen in randomized studies. 42% of pat could die at home. Although quality of life was not measured prospectively, we think that it is improved in metastatic breast cancer by outpatient care.

This work was supported by Novartis and Megapharm.