Table I.
Patient and tumour characteristics.
| Characteristic | Patients no. | % |
|---|---|---|
| Age (years): median 54 (range 32–74) | ||
| <60 | 57 | 77.0 |
| ≥60 | 17 | 23.0 |
| Performance status | ||
| 0 | 25 | 33.7 |
| 1 | 39 | 52.7 |
| 2 | 5 | 6.8 |
| NA | 5 | 6.8 |
| Histology | ||
| Ductal | 59 | 79.7 |
| Lobular | 7 | 9.5 |
| Mixed | 2 | 2.7 |
| Other | 6 | 8.1 |
| Tumour grade | ||
| G1 | 1 | 1.3 |
| G2 | 13 | 17.6 |
| G3 | 44 | 59.5 |
| UN | 16 | 21.6 |
| ER status | ||
| Positive | 32 | 43.2 |
| Negative | 40 | 54.1 |
| NA | 2 | 2.7 |
| PgR status | ||
| Positive | 20 | 27.0 |
| Negative | 49 | 66.2 |
| NA | 5 | 6.8 |
| Position of trastuzumab in palliative therapy | ||
| 1. line | 44 | 59.5 |
| 2. line | 23 | 31.1 |
| ≥3. line | 7 | 9.4 |
| Combination of trastuzumab with cytostatics | ||
| Paclitaxel | 39 | 52.7 |
| Docetaxel | 18 | 24.3 |
| Vinorelbine | 8 | 10.8 |
| CBDCA + paclitaxel | 6 | 8.1 |
| No cytostatics (trastuzumab monotherapy) | 3 | 4.1 |
| Best response to therapy | ||
| CR | 9 | 12.2 |
| PR | 33 | 44.6 |
| SD | 19 | 25.6 |
| PD | 8 | 10.8 |
| NA | 5 | 6.8 |
CBDCA, carboplatin; CR, complete remission; ER, estrogen receptor; NA, not assessed; no., number; PD, progressive disease; PgR, progesterone receptor; PR, partial remission; SD, stable disease;. UN, unascertained (including a group of tumours where grading was G2–3). All tumours were IHC 3+ or/and FISH-positive.