Therapeutic Option of Adding Bevacizumab to Paclitaxel after Treatment Failure for Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer: Case Reports and Literature Review

Kazuhiko Sato, Hiromi Fuchikami, Naoko Takeda and Masaru Iwai

Department of Breast Oncology, Tokyo-West Tokushukai Hospital, Japan
Department of Pharmacy, Tokyo-West Tokushukai Hospital, Japan

^*Correspondance to: Kazuhiko Sato 

 PDF  Full Text DOI: 10.25107/2474-1647.1306

Abstract

Introduction: Adding bevacizumab can change an impaired blood supply after resistance to weekly paclitaxel for metastatic breast cancer (MBC). We experienced effective tumor management by adding bevacizumab to paclitaxel refractory disease.Case 1: A 70-year-old female had multiple lymph-node metastases. After seven months of paclitaxel, she received bevacizumab additional to paclitaxel due to disease progression. Tumor markers were gradually reduced over five months.Case 2: A 50-year-old female developed lymph-node metastases and multiple bone metastases were also revealed later. After 16 months of paclitaxel, tumor markers were gradually reduced over the next 12 months by also using bevacizumab.Case 3: A 45-year-old woman had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy using anthracyclines and weekly paclitaxel. During post mastectomy radiation therapy, left chest wall recurrence, lung metastases, and liver metastases were found. Although the interval between paclitaxel monotherapy and paclitaxel plus bevacizumab was only three months, tumor markers were reduced over four months.Case 4: A 42-year-old woman had been referred due to left inflammatory breast cancer; she had been using anthracyclines and weekly paclitaxel. Left chest wall recurrence and lymph node metastases were found after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Although the interval between paclitaxel monotherapy and paclitaxel plus bevacizumab was only five months, tumor markers were reduced over the next five months.Discussion: It was difficult to draw any conclusions regarding the efficacy of adding bevacizumab from this retrospective case series. However, the strategy of additional bevacizumab should be considered and may change the clinical practice for patients with MBC.

Keywords

Metastatic breast cancer; Paclitaxel; Bevacizumab; Resistance; Quality of life

Cite the article

Sato K, Fuchikami H, Takeda N, Iwai M. Therapeutic Option of Adding Bevacizumab to Paclitaxel after Treatment Failure for Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer: Case Reports and Literature Review. Clin Surg. 2017; 2: 1306.