Abstract P4-01-07: Evaluation of FLT PET-CT as an imaging biomarker of proliferation in primary breast cancer

Background

[18F]flurothymidine (FLT) is proposed as an positron emission tomography (PET) imaging biomarker of proliferation for breast cancer. The aim of this prospective study was to assess the feasibility of FLT PET-CT as a technique for predicting response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in operable breast cancer and to compare baseline FLT to Ki-67.

Methods

20 patients with primary breast cancer were recruited into this study and 19 received NAC with FEC (n = 6) or FEC-T (n = 13). A baseline FLT PET-CT scan was performed and repeated before the second cycle of chemotherapy. Expression of Ki-67 in the diagnostic biopsy was quantified after being stained by Dako Ki67 MIB-1 antibody and% positive cells scored. From the FLT PET-CT scans standardized uptake value maximum (SUVmax) were calculated.

Results

All 20 patients completed the baseline scan and 17 completed the second scan. Baseline Ki-67 results were available for 19 patients. Median age was 52 years (range 32 to 67), 12 patients were ER/ PR +ve, 6 Her-2 +ve and 6 triple negative.

Mean baseline SUVmax was 7.3 (range 2.92 to 13.87) and 4.62 (range 1.79 to 14.15) post 1 cycle of NAC (range 7 to 14 days), representing a drop of 2.68 (36.3%). Mean baseline Ki-67 was 32.23 (range 2.3 to 68.4). Pearsons correlation showed a significant correlation between pre-chemotherapy Ki-67 and SUVmax of 0.604 (p = 0.006).

7 out of 17 (41%) patients achieved near pCR or pCR (pathological responders) after NAC and all of these had a reduction in SUVmax with a mean percentage value of –36.5% (range -0.5% to -62.5%). 10 out of 17 (59%) patients were non-responders and 8 of these had a reduction in SUVmax with a mean percentage value of -36.2% (range 11.3% to -70.7).

Conclusions

Baseline SUVmax measurements of FLT PET-CT were significantly related to Ki-67 suggesting that it is a proliferation biomarker. However, in this series neither the baseline value or the change in SUVmax after one cycle of NAC were able to predict response as most patients had a sizeable SUVmax reduction.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P4-01-07.

Abstract P4-12-10: Safety of pertuzumab (P) with trastuzumab (T) and docetaxel (D) in patients (pts) from Asia with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC): Results from the phase III trial CLEOPATRA

Background: CLEOPATRA is a phase III study of placebo (Pla)+T+D and P+T+D in HER2-positive first-line MBC. The combination of both HER2-targeted antibodies, P+T, with D resulted in significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The incidence of febrile neutropenia (FN) was higher with P+T+D versus Pla+T+D. We present analyses of adverse events (AEs) and treatment patterns for pts from Asia.

Methods: Pts were from Asia, Europe, North and South America. Study drugs were given intravenously, q3w: P/Pla, 840 mg initial dose, then 420 mg; T, 8 mg/kg initial dose, then 6 mg/kg; D, 75 mg/m2 with escalation to 100 mg/m2 if tolerated. Treatment was given until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity; 6 cycles of D were recommended, >6 cycles were at investigator's discretion. Dose modifications of P or T were not permitted. Two D dose reductions by 25% to 75 mg/m2 and 55 mg/m2 were allowed in order to manage toxicities; re-escalation was not permitted.

Results: The safety population comprised 253 pts from Asia (Pla+T+D: 128; P+T+D: 125) and 551 pts from other regions (Pla+T+D: 269; P+T+D: 282). The incidences of neutropenia, FN, diarrhea, mucosal inflammation, grade ≥3 AEs overall, and serious AEs were higher with P+T+D versus Pla+T+D. In the P arm, the largest increase in AEs in pts from Asia versus other regions was observed for FN and mucosal inflammation. D dose was more frequently reduced in pts from Asia; however, the incidence of AEs leading to discontinuation of all study treatment was balanced between pts from Asia and other regions. PFS and OS were improved with P+T+D in pts from all regions. In the whole study population, the hazard ratios (HR) for PFS and OS were 0.63 (95% CI 0.52-0.76) and 0.66 (0.52-0.84), respectively. In pts from Asia, the HR was 0.68 (0.48-0.95) for PFS and 0.64 (0.41-1.00) for OS. These efficacy analyses were unstratified.

Pts with event, n (%)Other regionsAsia Pla+T+DP+T+DPla+T+DP+T+D n = 269n = 282n = 128n = 125Neutropenia123 (46)141 (50)74 (58)74 (59)FN15 (6)24 (9)15 (12)32 (26)Diarrhea118 (44)179 (63)66 (52)93 (74)Mucosal inflammation56 (21)67 (24)23 (18)46 (37)Grade ≥3 AEs194 (72)199 (71)95 (74)103 (82)Serious AEs69 (26)82 (29)35 (27)58 (46)AEs leading to discontinuation of all study treatment15 (6)21 (7)6 (5)4 (3)D dose escalation to 100 mg/m256 (21)47 (17)5 (4)1 (1)D dose reduction to <75 mg/m232 (12)42 (15)57 (45)62 (50)Use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) to treat FN8 (3)11 (4)12 (9)30 (24)Subsequent G-CSF prophylaxis in pts with FN6 (2)3 (1)1 (1)11 (9)Study treatment cycles, median15181520D cycles, median8799

Conclusions: AEs did not result in reduction of the median number of cycles administered in pts from Asia compared with other regions. However, given that 47% of pts from Asia had D dose reductions <75 mg/m2 with comparable survival benefits to pts from other regions, a reduction in the D starting dose should be considered in these pts. Based on the efficacy and safety profile of P+T+D, this regimen is the preferred treatment option for pts with HER2-positive first-line MBC from all geographic regions.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P4-12-10.

Abstract OT1-1-08: PERSEPHONE: Duration of trastuzumab with chemotherapy in women with HER-2+ve early breast cancer

Background: PERSEPHONE is a randomised controlled trial comparing six months of trastuzumab to the standard 12 months in patients with HER2 positive early breast cancer. PERSEPHONE is funded by the NIHR HTA programme in the UK.

Methods: 4000 patients (pts) will be randomised into the two arms (1:1). The power calculations assume that the disease-free survival (DFS) of the standard treatment (12 months trastuzumab) is 80% at 4 years. Randomisation of 4000 pts will allow the trial to prove non-inferiority of six months trastuzumab (5% 1-sided significance and 85% power). Non-inferiority is defined as ‘no worse than 3%’ below the control arm (12 month) 4 year DFS. Primary outcome is DFS, and secondary outcomes are overall survival (OS) non-inferiority; cost effectiveness; cardiac function and quality of life. Tumour blocks are collected to research molecular predictors of survival with respect to duration of trastuzumab treatment. Blood samples are analysed for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as pharmaco-genetic determinants of prognosis, toxicity and treatment outcome. PHARE, a similar trial from the Institut National du Cancer in France, closed to recruitment in 2010 and presented early data at ESMO 2012. Following this an unplanned interim analysis of PERSEPHONE was presented to the Data Monitoring and Safety Committee (DMSC).

Results: PERSEPHONE commenced recruitment in October 2007. At abstract submission, 2781 pts (70%) had been randomised from 145 UK sites. Recruitment is due to complete in 2015 with the first planned interim analysis of the primary outcome mid-2016. The iDMSC reviewed all data available on HERA and PHARE as well as a PERSEPHONE interim analysis. There were no safety findings or signals that would warrant a change of the study plan and the high quality of data returns was noted.

Conclusion: PERSEPHONE continues the active recruitment phase as planned. Preliminary but inconclusive PHARE data have reinforced interest in the PERSEPHONE trial both nationally and internationally. There has been full support from the Breast International Group (BIG) and the international breast cancer community to answer this important shorter duration question.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr OT1-1-08.

Abstract P2-12-07: A review of clinical endpoints and use of quality-of-life outcomes in phase III metastatic breast cancer clinical trials

Background: The management of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is often considered to be palliative, with most interventions intended to relieve disease symptoms, minimize treatment effects and prolong patient survival. The impact of disease and treatment on a patient's functional abilities has led to the emphasis of incorporating quality of life (QoL) measures into clinical trials. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate phase III clinical trials in MBC, and assess the inclusion of QoL as an endpoint, in addition to conventional progression and survival endpoints.

Methods: A structured PubMed search was conducted to identify phase III clinical trials published between Jan. 1990 and Aug. 2011, which evaluated systemic treatment in MBC patients. Data pertaining to treatment regimens, study endpoints and clinical findings were collected, with a particular focus on progression-based (PB), overall survival (OS), and QoL endpoints. The instrument(s) used in evaluating QoL were also noted (when applicable).

Results: Of 520 publications identified, 122 phase III MBC clinical trials met the inclusion criteria. Of these studies, 98.4% and 95.9% included PB and OS respectively, as clinical endpoints, while QoL was assessed in only 46 (37.7%) studies. 14 instruments were identified as QoL measurement tools among these studies, with EORTC QLQ-C30 and FACT-B accounting for 54.7% of the instruments used. While the inclusion of QoL was not associated with the significance of PB results, there was an association between the inclusion of QoL and OS results, with 59% of significant OS studies and 32% of non-significant OS studies including QoL as a clinical endpoint (p = 0.016). When stratified by treatment arm, it was found that studies favouring standard therapy were more likely to include QoL (75%, p = 0.045), compared to those favouring the intervention (56%), and those without significant differences (32%).

Conclusions: Although the importance of QoL is often emphasized in MBC management and treatment decisions, only one-third of identified phase III clinical trials included an assessment of QoL. About half of these trials showed no statistically significant differences in QoL endpoint; of note, instruments of varying validity were utilized. There needs to be greater emphasis on the evaluation of QoL, with the use of standard and validated QoL tools in MBC clinical trials, especially as we increasingly focus on progression-based endpoints.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-12-07.

Abstract P5-18-01: Pertuzumab (P) in combination with trastuzumab (T) and docetaxel (D) in elderly patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in the CLEOPATRA study

Background: The incidence of cancer increases with age as does the risk of treatment-related adverse events (AEs) due to underlying comorbidities. A better understanding of cancer therapy-related AEs in elderly pts may help identify the optimal therapy by balancing treatment benefit and risk. CLEOPATRA, a double-blind Phase III trial, compared placebo (Pla)+T+D with P+T+D in pts with HER2-positive 1L MBC (Baselga 2012). Here we report safety and efficacy by age group.

Methods: P/Pla: 840 mg initial dose, 420 mg q3w iv; T: 8 mg/kg initial dose, 6 mg/kg q3w iv; D: 75 mg/m2 q3w iv, escalating to 100 mg/m2 if tolerated. P/Pla+T were given until progressive disease (PD) or unacceptable toxicity. At least 6 cycles of D were recommended; <6 cycles were allowed for PD or unacceptable toxicity, >6 cycles were allowed at investigators' discretion. At baseline, pts were required to have ECOG PS of 0 or 1, LVEF ≥50% and no decline to <50% during or following prior T therapy. The cumulative exposure to prior doxorubicin must not have exceeded 360 mg/m2 or its equivalent. The primary endpoint was independently assessed PFS; secondary endpoints included overall survival, objective response, safety.

Results: In the safety population, 678 pts (332 Pla arm, 346 P arm) were <65 yrs and 126 pts (65 Pla arm, 61 P arm) were ≥65 yrs. In pts <65 yrs, the median number of D cycles was 8 (1–41) in the Pla arm (median D dose intensity: 24.8 mg/m2/week) and 8 (1–35) in the P arm (24.5 mg/m2/week). The median number of D cycles was lower in pts ≥65 yrs, with 6.5 (1–26) in the Pla arm (24.8 mg/m2/week) and 6 (1–16) in the P arm (24.8 mg/m2/week). In elderly pts, the incidence of diarrhea, fatigue, and dysgeusia appeared to be higher in both arms, whereas neutropenia and febrile neutropenia were reported less frequently. Grade ≥3 diarrhea was reported in 4.8% (Pla arm) and 6.6% (P arm) of pts <65 yrs and in 6.2% (Pla arm) and 14.8% (P arm) of pts ≥65 yrs. In a univariate Cox regression analysis, age had no statistically significant association with the development of asymptomatic or symptomatic left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD); however, due to the low number of LVSD events overall this analysis has limited sensitivity to detect differences in time to event by age group. An exploratory post hoc analysis of independently assessed PFS in the ITT population showed a median PFS of 12.5 months in the Pla arm and 17.2 months in the P arm (HR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.53–0.80) in pts <65 yrs. In pts ≥65 yrs, the median PFS was 10.4 months in the Pla arm and 21.6 months in the P arm (HR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.31–0.86).

Abstract P5-16-01: Survival advantage in patients with metastatic breast cancer receiving endocrine therapy plus Sialyl Tn-KLH vaccine: post hoc analysis of a large randomized trial

Background: A multicenter, double blinded, randomized phase III trial of the therapeutic cancer vaccine STn-KLH was completed in an international cohort of 1,028 women with metastatic breast cancer who had either no evidence of disease or nonprogressive disease following first-line chemotherapy. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (No. NCT00003638). The outcomes showed that STn-KLH was safe and relatively well tolerated but had neither a positive nor negative effect on time to progression (TTP) or overall survival (OS) duration in the intent-to-treat population when compared with KLH control alone. The purpose of this post hoc analysis is to explore the potential benefit of combining an antiestrogen with MUC1 vaccines in metastatic breast cancer patients.

Methods: The data were further explored to determine if a retrospective, reassigned endocrine subset patient stratification produces subgroups that may have experienced benefit in TTP or survival compared with the phase III trial ITT analysis.

Results: Women treated with concomitant endocrine therapy, a pre stratified subset comprising approximately one third of the original study population, achieved a clinical benefit both in terms of TTP and survival compared with women who did not receive endocrine therapy. Moreover, women in the endocrine-treatment subset who mounted a median or greater antibody response (titer >1:320 toward bovine submaxillary mucin) to the STn-KLH vaccine experienced significantly longer median survival than their trial counterparts who mounted a below-median antibody response.

Conclusion: Unlike maintenance chemotherapy, with its associated cumulative toxicity, the combination of endocrine and STn-KLH therapy may offer clinical benefit with few adverse effects for women with metastatic breast cancer.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-16-01.

Abstract OT1-1-02: A single-arm phase IIIb study of pertuzumab and trastuzumab with a taxane as first-line therapy for patients with HER2-positive advanced breast cancer (PERUSE)

Background: Pertuzumab (P), a humanized monoclonal antibody, inhibits signaling downstream of HER2 by binding to the dimerization domain of the receptor and preventing heterodimerization with other HER family members. The epitope recognized by P is distinct from that bound by trastuzumab (H) and so their complementary mechanisms of action result in a more comprehensive HER2 blockade. Data from the phase III trial CLEOPATRA showed significantly improved PFS in patients (pts) receiving P + H + docetaxel compared with H + docetaxel + placebo as first-line treatment for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (BC).

Trial design: PERUSE is a phase IIIb, multicenter, open-label, single-arm study in pts with HER2-positive metastatic or locally recurrent BC who have not been treated with systemic nonhormonal anticancer therapy for metastatic cancer. Pts will receive, P: 840 mg initial dose, 420 mg q3w IV; H: 8 mg/kg initial dose, 6 mg/kg q3w IV; taxane: docetaxel, paclitaxel, or nab-paclitaxel according to local guidelines. Treatment will be administered until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. A planned protocol amendment will allow hormone receptor-positive pts to receive endocrine therapy alongside P+H after completion of taxane therapy, in line with clinical practice.

Eligibility criteria: At baseline, pts must have an LVEF of ≥50%, an ECOG PS of 0, 1, or 2, a disease-free interval of ≥6 months, and must not have received prior anti-HER2 agents for the treatment of metastatic BC. Prior H and/or lapatinib in the (neo)adjuvant setting is permitted, providing there was no disease progression during treatment. Pts must not have experienced other malignancies within the last 5 yrs other than carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal cell carcinoma. There must be no clinical or radiographic evidence of CNS metastases or clinically significant cardiovascular disease.

Specific aims: As H was not widely available in the (neo)adjuvant setting prior to CLEOPATRA recruitment, a relatively low proportion of pts in CLEOPATRA had previously received H. PERUSE will assess the safety and tolerability of P+H + choice of taxane as first-line therapy for pts with HER2-positive metastatic or locally advanced BC in a pt population likely to have experienced wider exposure to prior H therapy.

Statistical methods: The primary endpoints of the PERUSE study are safety and tolerability. Secondary endpoints include PFS, OS, ORR, CBR, duration of response, time to response and QoL. The final analysis will be performed when 1500 pts have been followed up for at least 12 months after the last pt receives last study treatment unless they have been lost to follow-up, withdrawn consent, or died, or if the study is prematurely terminated by the sponsor. Safety analyses are planned after enrollment of ∼350, 700, and 1000 pts. Additionally, a data and safety monitoring board will review safety data after ∼50 pts have been enrolled and then every 6 months.

Current and target accrual: Enrollment of the first pt is expected in June 2012 with a total of 1500 pts planned to be recruited.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr OT1-1-02.

Abstract OT1-1-03: PERSEPHONE: Duration of Trastuzumab with Chemotherapy in women with HER2 positive early breast cancer

Background: Persephone is a phase III randomised controlled trial comparing six months of trastuzumab to the standard 12 month duration in patients with HER2 positive early breast cancer in respect of disease free survival, safety and cost-effectiveness. A Persephone sister study, the PHARE trial run by the National Institute for Cancer, successfully closed to recruitment in 2010. A prospective meta-analysis is planned once each trial has reported individually.

Methods: A total of 4000 patients will be randomised into each of the two treatment groups. Eligible participants must be Her2 positive with a histological diagnosis of invasive breast cancer and no evidence of metastatic disease. Patients will receive neo-adjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy and have no previous diagnosis of malignancy unless managed by surgical treatment only and disease-free for 10 years. Patients can be randomised at any time prior to receiving their 10th cycle of trastuzumab.

The power calculations assume that the disease-free survival (DFS) of the standard treatment of 12 months trastuzumab will be 80% at 4 years. On this basis, with 5% 1-sided significance and 85% power, a trial randomising 2000 in each arm will have the ability to prove non-inferiority of the experimental arm defining non-inferiority as ‘no worse than 3%’ below the control arm 4 year DFS. Primary outcome is disease-free survival non-inferiority (equivalence) of 6 months trastuzumab compared with 12 months in women with early breast cancer. Secondary outcomes are overall survival non-inferiority (equivalence); expected incremental cost effectiveness; cardiology function and analysis of predictive factors for development of cardiac damage. Two mandatory sub-studies are: Tumour block collection to discover molecular predictors of survival with respect to duration of trastuzumab treatment and blood sample collection, used to discover single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as genetic/pharmaco-genetic determinants of prognosis, toxicity and treatment outcome. A third optional sub-study is the quality of life questionnaires.

Results: Persephone opened to recruitment in October 2007. To date, 2152 patients (54%) of its total have been randomised from 147 UK sites. Recruitment is due to complete by December 2013 and the first planned interim analysis of the primary outcome will be mid-2016.

Conclusion: The IDSMC last reviewed the trial in December 2011 and congratulated the Trial Management Group on the conduct of the trial and the quality of the data. No safety concerns were identified, and the IDSMC proposed that the trial continue to planned recruitment.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr OT1-1-03.

Adverse events risk associated with bevacizumab addition to breast cancer chemotherapy: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor with the ability to increase progression-free survival in metastatic breast cancer (MBC). A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine the risk of the most clinically relevant adverse outcomes associated with the use of bevacizumab in the treatment of breast cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We included phase III clinical trials that used bevacizumab alone or in combination with chemotherapy as for MBC or locally recurrent. Statistical analyses were conducted to calculate summary odds ratio (OR) of the eight most relevant adverse outcomes related with bevacizumab.

RESULTS

Five clinical trials were included in the meta-analysis. Summary odds ratios obtained showed a statistically significant bevacizumab-associated increased risk in four of the adverse outcomes studied: proteinuria (OR = 27.68), hypertension (OR = 12.76), left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) (OR = 2.25), and hemorrhagic events (OR = 4.07). No statistically significant differences were found for gastrointestinal (GI) perforation, vascular events, fatal events, or febrile neutropenia.

CONCLUSIONS

Bevacizumab did increase the risk of LVD and hemorrhagic events. The addition of bevacizumab to chemotherapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer was not associated with a significant increase in grade ≥ 3 arterial or venous thromboembolic events, GI perforation, or fatal events.

UK guidance document: treatment of metastatic breast cancer

Although there have been major improvements in the management of breast cancer, with a rapidly falling death rate despite an increasing incidence of the disease, metastatic breast cancer remains common and the cause of death in nearly 12 000 women annually in the UK. Numerous treatment options are available that either target the tumour or reduce the complications of the disease. Clinical decision making depends on knowledge of the extent and biology of the disease and available drug options, an understanding of the functional status, and also the wishes and expectations of the individual patient. In addition, the organisation of services and support of the patient are essential components of high-quality care. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has produced guidelines for the treatment of advanced breast cancer, which in some areas have perhaps failed to appreciate the complexity of patient management. This guidance document aims to provide succinct practical advice on the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, highlight some limitations of the NICE guidelines, and provide suggestions for management where available data are limited.

Using bevacizumab to treat metastatic cancer: UK consensus guidelines

Concise guidance is lacking for the use of bevacizumab by practicing oncologists. Eight oncologists with experience of bevacizumab were joined by a cardiologist interested in treating hypertension to develop practical guidelines for managing patients receiving bevacizumab, using available clinical data.

Treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer with lapatinib and capecitabine in the lapatinib expanded access programme, including efficacy in brain metastases--the UK experience

BACKGROUND

The global lapatinib expanded access programme provided access to lapatinib combined with capecitabine for women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) who previously received anthracycline, taxane and trastuzumab.

METHODS

Progression-free survival (PFS) and safety data for 356 patients recruited from the United Kingdom are reported. Efficacy was assessed in 162 patients from the five lead centres, including objective tumour response rate (ORR), time to disease progression (TTP) and efficacy in those with central nervous system (CNS) metastases. Correlation of PFS and ORR with previous capecitabine treatment was also documented.

RESULTS

Overall, PFS for the 356 UK patients was 21 weeks (95% CI: 17.6-24.7). In the 162 assessable patients, ORR was 21% (95% CI: 15-27%) and median TTP was 22 weeks (95% CI: 17-27). Efficacy was greater in capecitabine-naive patients (ORR 23 vs 16.3%, P=0.008). For 34 patients with CNS metastases, ORR was 21% (95% CI: 9-39%), with evidence of improvement in neurological symptoms, and median TTP was 22 weeks (95% CI: 15-28).

CONCLUSIONS

Lapatinib combined with capecitabine is an active treatment option for women with refractory HER2-positive MBC, including those with progressive CNS disease.

Analysis of Bevacizumab (Bev) Therapy, Bisphosphonate Use and Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ) in >1900 Patients Treated in Two Randomized, Controlled Trials

Background: Long-term bisphosphonate therapy is known to increase the risk of ONJ. A 16% incidence of ONJ was reported in a retrospective analysis of 116 patients receiving bisphosphonates with anti-angiogenic therapy (Bev or sunitinib) for bone metastases from breast, colon, or renal cell cancers.Methods: To assess the incidence of ONJ with Bev, we analyzed data from >3500 patients with locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer (LR/MBC) treated in three large trials of Bev-containing therapy: AVADO (Bev in combination with docetaxel); RIBBON-1 (Bev in combination with taxane, anthracycline-based combination therapy, or capecitabine); and MO19391 (single-arm safety study of >2000 patients receiving Bev-containing therapy in the general oncology practice context). The incidence of ONJ was compared in patients treated with Bev versus placebo and in patients with or without bisphosphonate exposure.Results: Data from the blinded phase of two randomized, placebo-controlled trials demonstrated an ONJ incidence of 0.3%. ONJ was more common in patients who also received bisphosphonate therapy than in those who received no bisphosphonates (Table). This observation is supported by data from 2216 patients treated in the single-arm MO19391 study (2.4% with bisphosphonate versus 0% without). AVADO*RIBBON-1**TotalIncidence of ONJ, no. of pts (%)Bev (n=492)Pla (n=238)Bev (n=817)Pla (n=412)Bev (n=1309)Pla (n=650)Overall population receiving Bev (n=1309)3 (0.6%)O1 (0.1%)O4 (0.3%)OBisphosphonate (n=233)1 (1.2%)O1 (0.6%)O2 (0.9%)ONo bisphosphonate (n=1076)2 (0.5%)OOO2 (0.2%)O *Bev 15 and 7.5 mg/kg arms pooled**Taxane/anthracycline and capecitabine cohorts pooledConclusions: This is the largest analysis of ONJ in patients receiving Bev for LR/MBC. The 0.3% incidence of ONJ with Bev is considerably lower than previously reported by Christodoulou et al. with anti-angiogenic therapy. As in the general population, the risk of ONJ is increased in patients exposed to bisphosphonates. The 0.9–2.4% incidence seen here in a large population of patients receiving Bev and bisphosphonate therapy is substantially lower than the 16% observed in a small cohort of patients from a retrospective analysis and within the range reported in the literature for bisphosphonates alone (1–4%). Good oral hygiene, dental examination and avoidance of invasive dental procedures remain important in patients receiving bisphosphonates, irrespective of Bev treatment.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 208.