Table 1

Patient characteristics (n 70)1

Variable
Values (%)2

Median Age in years (range)
55 (32–77)
Stage at Initial Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

I/II
41 (59)
III
17 (24)
IV
12 (17)
Hormone Receptor Status

     ER and or PgR positive
33 (47)
     ER and PgR Negative
35 (50)
     ER and PgR Unknown
2 (3)
Exposure to anthracycline before the initial T-based regimen3
46 (66)
Exposure to taxane before the initial T-based regimen3
18 (26)
Prior Lines of Chemotherapy for Metastatic Disease4

     1
48 (68)
     2
10 (14)
     ≥ 3
12 (17)
Initial Trastuzumab-based regimen

     Docetaxel 75–100 mg/m2 q3wks + T
31 (44)
     Paclitaxel 80–90 mg/m2 weekly +T
12 (17)
     Paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 q3wks + T
5 (7)
     Vinorelbine 25–30 mg/m2 weekly + T
4 (6)
     Docetaxel 75 mg/m2 + Epi-doxorubicin 75 mg/m2 q3wks + T
4 (6)
     T alone
4 (6)
     Other regimens
7 (10)
     Unknown
3 (4)
Median Number of Metastatic Sites
2 (1–6)
Pattern of Metastatic Disease

     Visceral (Liver + Lung)
57 (81)
     Non Visceral/Non CNS (Bone, Soft Tissue, Effusions)
11 (16)
     Central Nervous System (plus other sites)
17 (24)

T, Trastuzumab; CNS, central nervous system.

1All patients had HER2 amplification confirmed by central reassessment of tumor material by fluorescence in situ hybridization

2Because of rounding, the sum of percentages does not always equal 100.

3Exposure to these drugs in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant or metastatic setting before the initial trastuzumab-based regimen.

4Including the initial trastuzumab-based regimen

Montemurro et al. BMC Cancer 2008 8:209   doi:10.1186/1471-2407-8-209