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¿Cuál es la duración óptima de la quimioterapia paliativa en los pacientes con cáncer avanzado?

What is the optimal duration of palliative chemotherapy in patients with advanced cancer?

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Resumen

Actualmente la quimioterapia representa la principal opción terapéutica en los pacientes con cáncer avanzado. Su finalidad es paliativa, por lo que adquiere relevancia establecer un balance entre sus efectos positivos sobre la supervivencia y calidad de vida y aquellos negativos en forma de toxicidad, frecuentación hospitalaria y coste económico. Desconocemos si es mejor continuar la quimioterapia hasta la progresión de la enfermedad o bien administrarla de forma intermitente. Por ello hemos revisado los ensayos comparativos publicados al respecto. En el cáncer de mama metastático el tratamiento prolongado parece ofrecer ventajas sobre la supervivencia. Aunque no existen estudios suficientes en otras neoplasias, dos ensayos recientes apoyan el empleo de la terapia intermitente en el cáncer colorrectal y broncopulmonar avanzados.

Abstract

Chemotherapy still represents the treatment of choice for patients with advanced cancer and is mainly palliative in intent. Thus, positive effects on survival and quality of life should be balanced against the negative impact of toxicity, hospital frequentation and economic costs. It is not well known if continued therapy (until disease progression) is better than intermittent administration. A review of randomized trials assessing this question has been performed. Continued treatment seems to offer some survival advantages in metastatic breast cancer. Although there are no sufficient studies in other malignancies, two recent trials support the use of intermittent therapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer and colorectal carcinoma.

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  1. Servicio de Oncología Médica, Hospital Universitario La Fe, Avda. Campanar, 21, 46009, Valencia

    Jorge Aparicio Urtasun & Roberto Díaz Beveridge

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  1. Jorge Aparicio Urtasun
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  2. Roberto Díaz Beveridge
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Correspondence to Jorge Aparicio Urtasun.

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Urtasun, J.A., Beveridge, R.D. ¿Cuál es la duración óptima de la quimioterapia paliativa en los pacientes con cáncer avanzado?. Rev Oncol 4, 471–475 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02712824

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02712824

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