Impact of Metronomic Capecitabine after Standard Treatment in Non Metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Study
5 affiliations
- 1Resident doctor at Clinical Oncology Department, Al Ahrar Teaching Hospital
- 2Assistant Professor of Clinical Oncology & Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University
- 3Professor of Clinical Oncology & Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University
- 4Assistant Professor of Surgical Oncology, Surgical oncology department, Ismailia Teaching Oncology Hospital
- 5Lecturer of Clinical Oncology & Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University
Abstract
Background: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) has an unfavorable clinical course, with frequent early relapse and few targeted therapeutic options. Therefore, improving disease control after standard treatment remains an important clinical need. This research evaluated the impact of metronomic capecitabine administered after standard treatment on survival outcomes and treatment tolerability among patients having non metastatic triple negative breast cancer. Methods: This retrospective cohort included 65 women with non-metastatic TNBC during September 2019–September 2024. Thirty received metronomic capecitabine after standard treatment, and 35 underwent observation. Overall survival (OS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were assessed using Kaplan–Meier analysis. Documented adverse events were summarized in the capecitabine group. Results: Mean OS was 71.42 ± 2.41 months with capecitabine versus 52.56 ± 4.55 months with observation (p = 0.043), and mean DMFS was 70.0 ± 3.3 versus 39.19 ± 4.76 months (p = 0.003). Distant metastasis occurred in 10% versus 34.3% (p = 0.021). Crude mortality proportions did not differ statistically (13.3% versus 14.3%; p = 0.999). Hand–foot syndrome occurred in 40% of capecitabine-treated patients and was classified as severe in 13.3%. Baseline characteristics and treatment exposure differed between groups. Conclusion: Metronomic capecitabine was associated with fewer distant metastatic events and longer OS and DMFS in this retrospective cohort. Hand–foot syndrome was the most frequently documented adverse event, including severe cases. Differences in baseline characteristics and previous treatment limit attribution of the observed outcomes to capecitabine. These findings support further evaluation rather than a definitive treatment recommendation for a specific high-risk subgroup.
Related
- Cytoreductive cystectomy combined with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in the treatment of metastatic bladder cancer: A retrospective comparative study.
- Surufatinib and camrelizumab plus nab-paclitaxel–gemcitabine as first-line treatment for metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: a retrospective cohort study
- Cost-effectiveness of adding enzalutamide vs standard non-steroidal antiandrogen drugs for patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer undergoing standard first-line therapy: a within-trial, secondary end-point analysis of the ENZAMET phase 3, international randomized trial (ANZUP 1304)
- Impact of previous nivolumab treatment on the response to taxanes in patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
- Lorlatinib in frontline treatment of advanced ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer: a highly efficient new standard of care but still challenging to manage
BibTeX
@article{hegazy2026impact,
title = {{Impact of Metronomic Capecitabine after Standard Treatment in Non Metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Study}},
author = {Alaa Hegazy and Shaimaa Abdelhai and Abdelmotaleb Ibrahim and Adel Ismail and Moamna Fahmy},
journal = {Zagazig University Medical Journal},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.21608/zumj.2026.521395.4763},
url = {https://doi.org/10.21608/zumj.2026.521395.4763},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Impact of Metronomic Capecitabine after Standard Treatment in Non Metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer: A Retrospective Study
AU - Alaa Hegazy
AU - Shaimaa Abdelhai
AU - Abdelmotaleb Ibrahim
AU - Adel Ismail
AU - Moamna Fahmy
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/25
JO - Zagazig University Medical Journal
DO - 10.21608/zumj.2026.521395.4763
UR - https://doi.org/10.21608/zumj.2026.521395.4763
AB - Background: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) has an unfavorable clinical course, with frequent early relapse and few targeted therapeutic options. Therefore, improving disease control after standard treatment remains an important clinical need. This research evaluated the impact of metronomic capecitabine administered after standard treatment on survival outcomes and treatment tolerability among patients having non metastatic triple negative breast cancer. Methods: This retrospective cohort included 65 women with non-metastatic TNBC during September 2019–September 2024. Thirty received metronomic capecitabine after standard treatment, and 35 underwent observation. Overall survival (OS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were assessed using Kaplan–Meier analysis. Documented adverse events were summarized in the capecitabine group. Results: Mean OS was 71.42 ± 2.41 months with capecitabine versus 52.56 ± 4.55 months with observation (p = 0.043), and mean DMFS was 70.0 ± 3.3 versus 39.19 ± 4.76 months (p = 0.003). Distant metastasis occurred in 10% versus 34.3% (p = 0.021). Crude mortality proportions did not differ statistically (13.3% versus 14.3%; p = 0.999). Hand–foot syndrome occurred in 40% of capecitabine-treated patients and was classified as severe in 13.3%. Baseline characteristics and treatment exposure differed between groups. Conclusion: Metronomic capecitabine was associated with fewer distant metastatic events and longer OS and DMFS in this retrospective cohort. Hand–foot syndrome was the most frequently documented adverse event, including severe cases. Differences in baseline characteristics and previous treatment limit attribution of the observed outcomes to capecitabine. These findings support further evaluation rather than a definitive treatment recommendation for a specific high-risk subgroup.
SN - 2357-0717
SN - 1110-1431
ER -