Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist plus an aromatase inhibitor as second-line endocrine therapy in premenopausal females with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer.

PURPOSE: The aim of the current study was to explore the efficacy and safety of combination therapy using a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist plus an aromatase inhibitor (AI) as second-line therapy in premenopausal females with hormone receptor (HR)-positive recurrent or metastatic breast cancer (MBC). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted in patients registered in the breast cancer database of our institution between January 2001 and December 2012. The breast cancer database identified 14 premenopausal patients who had been treated with an LHRH agonist plus AI for HR-positive recurrent or MBC. RESULTS: Fourteen patients with recurrent breast cancer (N = 10) or metastatic disease at primary diagnosis (N = 4) were included in the present study. All patients had previously been treated with an LHRH agonist plus tamoxifen. The clinical benefit rate was 71.4% and the median TTP was 11 months (95% confidence interval 1.7-20.3 months). One patient discontinued treatment because of liver dysfunction (grade 3). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of an LHRH agonist plus an AI is a treatment option for premenopausal females with HR-positive MBC that can prolong the chemotherapy-free interval and yield effective disease stabilization.