Efficacy of bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer: a network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: It is not known what combination of bevacizumab and chemotherapy agents is the best therapeutic regimen. Comparative study results among the efficacies of bevacizumab plus chemotherapy remain controversial in patients with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. METHODS: We searched Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Library Central Resister of Controlled Trials through were July 2019 for randomized controlled trials that evaluated the efficacy of bevacizumab plus chemotherapy in HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. Data on included study characteristics, outcomes, and risk of bias were abstracted by two reviewers. RESULTS: A total of 16 RCT studies involving 5689 patients were included. The results showed that bevacizumab (Bev) - taxanes (Tax) - capecitabine (Cap) has highest-ranking and is probably more effective for prolonging progression-free survival (PFS) than Tax, Cap, Bev-Tax and Bev-Cap, which was no convincing differences among Bev-Cap-vinorelbine, Bev-Tax-everolimus, Bev-Tax-trebananib, Bev-exemestane, Bev-Cap-cyclophosphamide in Bev-containing regimens. For overall response rate (ORR), Bev-Tax-Cap is superior to Tax, Cap and Bev-Cap, while Bev-Tax-trebananib is superior to Cap. The cumulative probability ranking showed that Bev-Tax-Cap or Bev-Tax-trebananib may have best pathological response rate in HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. CONCLUSION: Our results provide moderate quality evidence that bevacizumab-taxanes-capecitabine maybe the most effective bevacizumab plus chemotherapy on PFS and ORR in HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer, however it should be also considered that bevacizumab may add toxicity to chemotherapy and whether improve overall survival (OS) or not.