The comparison of anthracycline-based and non-anthracycline-based regimens in adjuvant chemotherapy of HER2-positive non-metastatic breast cancers.

Aim of the study: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of anthracycline-based (AB) and non-anthracycline-based (nAB) adjuvant therapies in the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive non-metastatic BC (nMBC) patients.

Material and methods: This retrospective study included women with HER2-positive BCs (stage I-III) treated with trastuzumab from 2008 to 2017. The patients were divided into two groups, including 196 patients in group AB and 67 in group nAB.

Results: Cox's proportional hazard regression analysis showed no unfavourable predictors for five-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) except for stage and hormone therapy. The OS rate was 67.9% in group AB and 80.6% in group nAB ( p = 0.630). The DFS rate was 61.6% in group AB compared with 67.1% in group nAB ( p = 0.447).

Conclusions: The results showed no difference between the efficacies of AB and nAB regimens in HER2-positive nMBCs in adjuvant setting. Therefore, selecting the nAB regimen can reduce the serious damage caused by the AB regimen.