Influence of patient and tumor characteristics on therapy persistence with letrozole in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer: results of the prospective observational EvAluate-TM study

CDK4/6 Inhibitors-Overcoming Endocrine Resistance Is the Standard in Patients with Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors can be considered as some of the first targeted therapies. For the past 30 years, they were the endocrine treatment standard in the advanced and early breast cancer setting. CDK4/6 inhibitors, however, are the first substances in almost two decades to broadly improve the therapeutic landscape of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients for the upcoming years. This review is designed to discuss the recent history, current role, future directions and opportunities of this substance class.

RECENT FINDINGS

The CDK4/6 inhibitors abemaciclib, dalpiciclib, palbociclib and ribociclib have all demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival in advanced disease. However, to date, abemaciclib and ribociclib are the only CDK4/6 inhibitors to have shown an improvement in overall survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Moreover, abemaciclib is the first CDK4/6 inhibitor to also reduce the risk of recurrence in those with early-stage disease. Further CDK inhibitors, treatment combinations with other drugs and different therapy sequences are in development.

SUMMARY

Achieving significant improvements in survival rates in the advanced and early breast cancer treatment setting, CDK4/6 inhibitors have set a new standard of care for patients with advanced breast cancer. It remains important to better understand resistance mechanisms to be able to develop novel substances and treatment sequences.

An intervention mapping-based support program that empowers patients with endocrine therapy management

BACKGROUND

For women diagnosed with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer, endocrine therapy (ET) is recommended. Patients experience diverse side effects, and difficulties in managing these side effects have been identified as obstacles for treatment continuation. The aim of this study was to describe the development of a support program for patients prescribed ET.

METHODS

Intervention mapping (IM) a comprehensive theory-based approach was used in the support program development. A participatory design was used and four advisory groups was formed including both patients and healthcare professionals.

RESULTS

This study employed the systematic stages of IM to develop a theory-based support program with the goal to empower patients prescribed ET to manage ETrelated symptoms and problems, and to illuminate the healthcare structure. The needs assessment identified three performance objectives: (1) Patients have knowledge of and understand their symptoms and their management strategies. (2) Patients have the knowledge and confidence to express their care needs and to ask for guidance from healthcare professionals. (3) Patients are active in and lead their healthcare process.

CONCLUSION

This is a systematic developed model, built upon aspects of ET both from a patient´ perspective as well as from healthcare professionals' perspectives.

Endocrine Treatment for Breast Cancer Patients Revisited-History, Standard of Care, and Possibilities of Improvement

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Due to the findings of current studies and the approval of novel substances for the therapy of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer patients, the established standards of endocrine treatment are changing. The purpose of this review is to give an overview of the history of endocrine treatment, to clarify its role in the present standard of care, and to discuss the possibilities of improvement.

RECENT FINDINGS

Tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors, and fulvestrant are the main drugs that have been used for decades in the therapy of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer patients. However, since a relevant number of women suffer at some point from disease recurrence or progression, several novel substances are being investigated to overcome resistance mechanisms by interfering with certain signaling pathways, such as the PI3K/AKT/mTOR or the CDK4/6 pathways. mTOR and CDK4/6 inhibitors were the first drugs approved for this purpose and many more are in development.

SUMMARY

Endocrine treatment is one of the best tolerable cancer therapies available. Continuous investigation serves to improve patients' outcomes and modernize the current standard of care. Considering the resistance mechanisms and substances analyzed against these, endocrine treatment of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer is on the brink of a new era.

Women's coping strategies during the first three months of adjuvant endocrine therapy for breast cancer

Aim

The aim was to explore stressful events, experienced problems and used coping strategies during the first three months of undergoing ET.

Design

This study used a mixed method design.

Methods

A consecutive sample of 39 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer were included at the start of their adjuvant endocrine therapy. A daily coping assessment was used to create daily reports about stressful events or experienced problems and coping strategies.

Results

The most frequently reported physical problems were sleeping difficulties. Anxiety was the most reported emotional problem. Patients used both emotion-and problem-focused coping, and sleeping difficulties were coped by relaxing, and anxiety was coped by thinking about something else.

Conclusions

Patients experienced a variety of stressful events or problems during the first three months of endocrine therapy. They also used several coping strategies to endure the treatment.

Update Breast Cancer 2019 Part 5 - Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenges of New, Personalised Therapies in Patients with Advanced Breast Cancer

Significant advancements have been made in recent years in advanced breast cancer and nearly all of them have been in the field of targeted therapy. Pertuzumab and trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) have been able to be introduced in HER2-positive breast cancer. Now other anti-HER2 therapies are being developed (e.g. margetuximab, DS-8201a, pyrotinib) which can overcome other resistance mechanisms in the HER2 signalling pathway. In the field of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer, an mTOR inhibitor and CDK4/6 inhibitors were introduced in the past. Now the introduction of the first PI3K inhibitor is forthcoming and this inhibitor will involve genetic testing of the tumour for a mutation in the PIK3CA gene. There are also significant advancements in triple-negative breast cancer: By combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy, an advantage for overall survival was able to be demonstrated in a subgroup (immune cells PD-L1-positive). The PARP inhibitor therapy for HER2-negative patients with a germ line mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 was also associated with an improved overall survival in a subgroup. These promising new study results are summarised in this review.