Use of liposomal doxorubicin–cyclophosphamide combination in breast cancer patients with brain metastases: a monocentric retrospective study

Brain metastases (BM) can affect up to 45 % of a high-risk breast cancer (BC) population. Liposomal doxorubicin (LD)-based chemotherapy has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of BC and LD crosses the blood–brain barrier. The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the efficacy of the LD–cyclophosphamide (CTX) combination in BM related to BC. Patients diagnosed with BM related to BC and treated with the LD–CTX combination were eligible. BM objective response rate (BM-ORR), BM disease control rate (BM-DCR), BM progression-free survival, overall survival (OS) and safety were analyzed. 29 patients were eligible. The median time from metastatic diagnosis to brain involvement was 12 months. BM was more frequently observed in HER2+ patients. On average, three courses of chemotherapy were administered without grade 3–4 limiting adverse events. After three cycles, BM-ORR and BM-DCR were 41.4 and 58.6 % respectively versus 50 and 62.5 % when no prior radiotherapy was administered. From BM diagnosis, OS was 23 months. A high BM-ORR is observed with the LD–CTX combination in patients with BM related to BC. This is an attractive therapeutic option for these patients, especially when no prior whole brain radiotherapy has been administered.