The comparison of maintenance treatment with capecitabine (CMT) and non-maintenance treatment with capecitabine (non-CMT) in patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Aim: The study examined the response rate, response duration and toxicity of maintenance treatment (CMT) and non-maintenance treatment with capecitabine (non-CMT) in metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Material and methods: Between September 2009 and July 2013, a group of 82 patients with MBC, who had progressed after anthracycline/taxane chemotherapy, was treated with a capecitabine-based chemotherapy and divided into two groups. 54 patients received CMT 1.5 g twice a day from days 1 to 14, and 28 patients achieved non-CMT. Treatment was continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The median age of patients treated with CMT and non-CMT was 57 years (range 38-78) and 50 years (range 37-77). The evaluation of treatment effect was possible in all patients. Results: The overall response rate (ORR) was 29.7% (16 cases), including 3 (5.6%) complete responses (CR) and 13 (24.1%) partial responses (PR). Stable disease (SD) was observed in 7.4% of patients receiving CMT (54 patients). In the group receiving non-CMT, ORR was 3.6% (1 case). The median PFS in CMT group was 36 weeks, while in non-CMT group was 24 weeks. The most common adverse event was hematologic toxicity (74.1%), with the incidence of grade 1-2/3-4 was 70.4% and 3.7%. Hand-foot syndrome was the most frequent non-hematologic form of toxicity, occurring in 70.4% of cases. There were no treatment-related deaths. Conclusions: CMT is an effective and safe treatment for pretreated metastatic breast cancer patients. And CMT appears to be a more efficacious treatment than non-CMT.