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Intra-Arterial Therapies for Liver Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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  • Interventional Oncology
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Abstract

Purpose

Performing a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the evidence of intra-arterial therapies in liver metastatic breast cancer (LMBC) patients.

Methods

A systemic literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS for studies regarding intra-arterial therapies in LMBC patients. Full text studies of LMBC patients (n ≥ 10) published between January 2010 and December 2020 were included when at least one outcome among response rate, adverse events or survival was available. Response rates were pooled using generalized linear mixed models. A weighted estimate of the population median overall survival (OS) was obtained under the assumption of exponentially distributed survival times.

Results

A total of 26 studies (1266 patients) were included. Eleven articles reported on transarterial radioembolization (TARE), ten on transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and four on chemo-infusion. One retrospective study compared TARE and TACE. Pooled response rates were 49% for TARE (95%CI 32–67%), 34% for TACE (95%CI 22–50%) and 19% for chemo-infusion (95%CI 14–25%). Pooled median survival was 9.2 months (range 6.1–35.4 months) for TARE, 17.8 months (range 4.6–47.0) for TACE and 7.9 months (range 7.0–14.2) for chemo-infusion. No comparison for OS was possible due to missing survival rates at specific time points (1 and 2 year OS) and the large heterogeneity.

Conclusion

Although results have to be interpreted with caution due to the large heterogeneity, the superior response rate of TARE and TACE compared to chemo-infusion suggests first choice of TARE or TACE in chemorefractory LMBC patients. Chemo-infusion could be considered in LMBC patients not suitable for TARE or TACE.

Level of Evidence

3a-

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Abbreviations

MBC:

Metastatic breast cancer

OS:

Overall survival

LMBC:

Liver metastatic breast cancer

PFS:

Progression-free survival

TARE:

Transarterial radioembolization

TAE:

Transarterial embolization

TACE:

Transarterial chemoembolization

DEBDOX:

Drug-eluting beads loaded with doxorubicin

18F-FDG PET:

18F-FDG positron emission tomography

CI:

Confidence interval

RECIST:

Response evaluation criteria in solid tumors

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Funding

This study was not supported by any funding.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    B. M. Aarts, F. M. Gómez Muñoz, T. R. Baetens, R. G. H. Beets-Tan & E. G. Klompenhouwer

  2. GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ, Maastricht, the Netherlands

    B. M. Aarts & R. G. H. Beets-Tan

  3. Interventional Radiology, Hospital Clinic Universitari de Barcelona, Carrer de Villarroel 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain

    F. M. Gómez Muñoz

  4. General Medical Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    H. Wildiers

  5. Medical Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    V. O. Dezentjé

  6. Department of Biometrics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    W. Schats

  7. Department of Biometrics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    M. Lopez-Yurda

  8. Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    R. C. Dresen & G. Maleux

  9. Nuclear Medicine, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    B. J. de Wit-van der Veen

  10. Nuclear Medicine, Department of Imaging and Pathology, University Hospitals Leuven & Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    C. M. Deroose

Authors
  1. B. M. Aarts
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  2. F. M. Gómez Muñoz
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  3. H. Wildiers
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  5. T. R. Baetens
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  6. W. Schats
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  7. M. Lopez-Yurda
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Correspondence to B. M. Aarts.

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Appendix 1: Full Search Pubmed

Appendix 1: Full Search Pubmed

((“Breast Neoplasms”[Mesh] OR ((breast*[tiab] OR mammary[tiab] OR mamma[tiab]) AND (neoplasm*[tiab] OR tumor[tiab] OR tumors[tiab] OR tumour*[tiab] OR cancer*[tiab] OR malign*[tiab] OR oncolog*[tiab] OR carcinom*[tiab])) OR (mammacarcinom*[tiab] OR mamma-carcinom*[tiab])) AND (“Liver Neoplasms”[Mesh] OR liver[tiab] OR hepatic[tiab] OR hepatocellular[tiab]) AND (“Neoplasm Metastasis”[MeSH] OR metasta*[tiab] OR metasti*[tiab]) OR LMBC[tiab]) AND (“Infusions, Intra-Arterial”[MeSH] OR intra arterial infusion*[tiab] OR intraarterial infusion*[tiab] OR intraarterial therap*[tiab] OR regional arterial infusion*[tiab] OR intra arterial therap*[tiab] OR hepatic arterial infusion*[tiab] OR hepatic arterial catheter*[tiab] OR (intra-hepatic[tiab] AND infusion*[tiab]) OR HAI[tiab] OR HAIC[tiab] OR chemo emboliz*[tiab] OR chemoemboliz*[tiab] OR chemoembolis*[tiab] OR chemo-embolis*[tiab] OR TACE[tiab] OR TAE[tiab] OR radioemboliz*[tiab] OR TARE[tiab] OR radioembolis*[tiab] OR radio-emboliz*[tiab] OR radio-embolis*[tiab] OR selective internal radiation therap*[tiab] OR selective internal radiotherap*[tiab] OR selective internal RT[tiab] OR selective internal radionuclide therap*[tiab] OR selective intraarterial radionuclide therap*[tiab] OR SIRT[tiab] OR intra-arterial chemotherap*[tiab] OR intraarterial chemotherap*[tiab] OR radiofrequency ablat*[tiab] OR regional infusion*[tiab] OR hepatic infusion*[tiab] OR arterial infusion*[tiab] OR arterial cytostatic infusion*[tiab] OR locoregional chemotherap*[tiab] OR intra-arterial catheter*[tiab] OR intraarterial catheter*[tiab] OR intrahepatic arterial chemo*[tiab] OR regional chemotherap*[tiab] OR transarterial immunochemotherap*[tiab] OR transarterial immuno-chemotherap*[tiab] OR local immunochemotherap*[tiab] OR local immuno-chemotherap*[tiab] OR intra-arterial chemo-infusion*[tiab] OR chemofiltration*[tiab] OR locoregional chemotherap*[tiab] OR arterial infusion chemotherap*[tiab] OR loco-regional cancer therap*[tiab] OR locoregional cancer therap*[tiab] OR hepatic artery infusion*[tiab] OR transarterial emboliz*[tiab] OR transarterial embolis*[tiab] OR bland emboliz*[tiab] OR bland embolis*[tiab]).

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Aarts, B.M., Muñoz, F.M.G., Wildiers, H. et al. Intra-Arterial Therapies for Liver Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 44, 1868–1882 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-021-02906-1

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