Prognosis for patients with metastatic breast cancer who achieve a no-evidence-of-disease status after systemic or local therapy

Abstract

BACKGROUND This study sought to determine outcomes for patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) with no evidence of disease (NED) after treatment and to identify factors predictive of outcomes once the status of NED was attained. METHODS This study reviewed 570 patients with MBC who were consecutively treated between January 2003 and December 2005. Ninety patients (16%) attained NED, which was defined as a complete metabolic response on positron emission tomography or sclerotic healing of bone metastases on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. The median follow-up for patients attaining NED was 100 months (range, 14-134 months). RESULTS The 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 44% and 24%, respectively, for the entire group and 96% and 78%, respectively, for those attaining NED. According to a landmark analysis, NED status was significantly associated with survival at 2 (P