A Randomized Trial of Fulvestrant, Everolimus, and Anastrozole for the Front-line Treatment of Patients with Advanced Hormone Receptor-positive Breast Cancer, SWOG S1222

PURPOSE

Metastatic hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer is an important cause of cancer mortality. Endocrine treatment with or without additional targeted therapies has been the mainstay of treatment. This trial was designed to evaluate the combination of fulvestrant plus everolimus versus fulvestrant, everolimus, and anastrozole compared with fulvestrant alone in the first-line treatment of advanced HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This randomized placebo-controlled trial included postmenopausal women with HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer who had received no prior systemic therapy for metastatic disease. Participants were randomized to one of three treatment arms and the primary outcome was progression-free survival (PFS), comparing combinations of fulvestrant and everolimus with or without anastrozole with fulvestrant alone. Circulating tumor cells (CTC), as measured with two different methods, and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) were evaluated serially prior to treatment and the beginning of the second cycle of therapy.

RESULTS

Due in part to changes in clinical practice, the study was closed after accruing only 37 participants. There was no evidence that everolimus-containing combination treatment improved PFS or overall survival relative to fulvestrant alone. When modeled continuously, an association was observed of baseline CTC and ctDNA with poorer survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Although power of the study was limited, the findings were unable to support the routine use of everolimus combination endocrine therapy in the first-line treatment of advanced hormone-sensitive breast cancer. Prognostic impact of baseline ctDNA and copy-number variations in CTC was demonstrated.

Changes in T-cell subsets and clonal repertoire during chemoimmunotherapy with pembrolizumab and paclitaxel or capecitabine for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Chemoimmunotherapy is a standard treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), however, the impacts of different chemotherapies on T-cell populations, which could correlate with clinical activity, are not known. Quantifying T-cell populations with flow cytometry and T-cell receptor (TCR) immunosequencing may improve our understanding of how chemoimmunotherapy affects T-cell subsets, and to what extent clonal shifts occur during treatment. TCR immunosequencing of intratumoral T cells may facilitate the identification and monitoring of putatively tumor-reactive T-cell clones within the blood.

METHODS

Blood and tumor biopsies were collected from patients with metastatic TNBC enrolled in a phase Ib clinical trial of first or second-line pembrolizumab with paclitaxel or capecitabine. Using identical biospecimen processing protocols, blood samples from a cohort of patients treated for early-stage breast cancer were obtained for comparison. Treatment-related immunological changes in peripheral blood and intratumoral T cells were characterized using flow cytometry and TCR immunosequencing. Clonal proliferation rates of T cells were compared based on intratumoral enrichment.

RESULTS

When combined with pembrolizumab, paclitaxel and capecitabine resulted in similar time-dependent lymphodepletions across measured peripheral T-cell subsets. Their effects were more modest than that observed following curative-intent dose-dense anthracycline and cyclophosphamide (ddAC) (average fold-change in CD3⁺ cells, capecitabine: -0.42, paclitaxel: -0.56, ddAC: -1.21). No differences in T-cell clonality or richness were observed following capecitabine or paclitaxel-based treatments. Regression modeling identified differences in the emergence of novel T-cell clones that were not detected at baseline (odds compared with ddAC, capecitabine: 0.292, paclitaxel: 0.652). Pembrolizumab with paclitaxel or capecitabine expanded T-cell clones within tumors; however, these clones did not always expand within the blood. Proliferation rates within the blood were similar between clones that were enriched and those that were not enriched within tumors.

CONCLUSION

Chemoimmunotherapy for metastatic TNBC with pembrolizumab and capecitabine or paclitaxel resulted in similar peripheral T-cell subset lymphodepletion without altering T-cell clonal diversity. Regression modeling methods are applicable in immune monitoring studies, such as this to identify the odds of novel T-cell clones emerging during treatment, and proliferation rates of tumor-enriched T-cell clones.

Adjuvant T-DM1 versus trastuzumab in patients with residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant therapy for HER2-positive breast cancer: subgroup analyses from KATHERINE

BACKGROUND

In the KATHERINE study (NCT01772472), patients with residual invasive early breast cancer (EBC) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) plus human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted therapy had a 50% reduction in risk of recurrence or death with adjuvant trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) versus trastuzumab. Here, we present additional exploratory safety and efficacy analyses.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

KATHERINE enrolled HER2-positive EBC patients with residual invasive disease in the breast/axilla at surgery after NACT containing a taxane (± anthracycline, ± platinum) and trastuzumab (± pertuzumab). Patients were randomized to adjuvant T-DM1 (n = 743) or trastuzumab (n = 743) for 14 cycles. The primary endpoint was invasive disease-free survival (IDFS).

RESULTS

The incidence of peripheral neuropathy (PN) was similar regardless of neoadjuvant taxane type. Irrespective of treatment arm, baseline PN was associated with longer PN duration (median, 105-109 days longer) and lower resolution rate (∼65% versus ∼82%). Prior platinum therapy was associated with more grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia in the T-DM1 arm (13.5% versus 3.8%), but there was no grade ≥3 hemorrhage in these patients. Risk of recurrence or death was decreased with T-DM1 versus trastuzumab in patients who received anthracycline-based NACT [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.38-0.67], non-anthracycline-based NACT (HR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.22-0.82), presented with cT1, cN0 tumors (0 versus 6 IDFS events), or had particularly high-risk tumors (HRs ranged from 0.43 to 0.72). The central nervous system (CNS) was more often the site of first recurrence in the T-DM1 arm (5.9% versus 4.3%), but T-DM1 was not associated with a difference in overall risk of CNS recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

T-DM1 provides clinical benefit across patient subgroups, including small tumors and particularly high-risk tumors and does not increase the overall risk of CNS recurrence. NACT type had a minimal impact on safety.

Abstract P3-14-01: Adjuvant trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) vs trastuzumab (H) in patients with residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant therapy for HER2-positive breast cancer: KATHERINE subgroup analysis

Background: Patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer with residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) + HER2-targeted therapy have a higher risk of recurrence and death than those with pathologic complete response. In the phase III KATHERINE study, adjuvant T-DM1 reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 50% vs H in this population. Data from KATHERINE subgroups are reported here, including patients treated with non-anthracycline (AC) vs AC based NACT, patients with small tumors (cT1cN0) who typically do not receive neoadjuvant treatment, and patients with particularly higher-risk tumors defined by nodal involvement and hormone-receptor status. Methods: Eligible patients had HER2-positive early breast cancer, received taxane- and H-containing neoadjuvant therapy ± AC followed by surgery, and had residual invasive disease in the breast and/or axillary nodes. Patients received 14 cycles of adjuvant T-DM1 (3.6 mg/kg IV q3w) or H (6 mg/kg IV q3w) and endocrine and/or radiation therapy per local standards. The primary endpoint was invasive disease-free survival (IDFS), defined as time from randomization to the first occurrence of ipsilateral locoregional or contralateral invasive breast cancer recurrence, distant recurrence, or death from any cause. In this exploratory analysis, efficacy subpopulations were derived from the intent-to-treat population and safety data were reported for patients who received ≥1 dose of study treatment. Results: In the non-AC v AC based NACT analysis (N=1486), some patient characteristics were imbalanced. For non-AC/AC based NACT, respectively, these included: region (North America; 60.6% v 11.0%), race (Asian; 12.8% v 7.4%), ECOG PS 1 (28.0% v 15.7%); neoadjuvant HER2-based therapy (H + pertuzumab; 46.6% v 9.8%), and neoadjuvant carboplatin/cisplatin (78.7 v 2.3%). Benefit was observed with T-DM1 regardless of neoadjuvant AC use (Table). The all-grade incidence of selected AEs with T-DM1 including hepatotoxicity, peripheral neuropathy, hemorrhage, IRR/hypersensitivity, and cardiac dysfunction was similar between non-AC and AC NACT groups. There was a small increase in the non-AC group in all-grade thrombocytopenia (32.5% v 27.4%) and pulmonary toxicity (6.7% vs 1.7%). There was an increased incidence of grade ≥3 AEs (39.9% vs 21.7%) in the non-AC vs the AC group with T-DM1 which was likely driven by an increase in thrombocytopenia (10.4% v 4.3%) and peripheral sensory neuropathy (4.3% vs 0.5%). However, the percentage of patients with AEs leading to T-DM1 withdrawal in the non-AC vs AC groups (19.6% v 17.5%) was similar, as was the percentage with AEs leading to T-DM1 dose reduction (14.1% v 11.6%). In patients with cT1N0 tumors (n=77), baseline characteristics were well-balanced for H v T-DM1. There were only 6 IDFS events in this subgroup overall; none were observed with T-DM1 (Table). In the analysis of particularly higher-risk tumors, all subgroups showed a benefit with T-DM1; the number of patients was small in some subgroups (Table). Conclusions: T-DM1 provides clinical benefit regardless of prior non-AC vs AC based NACT, and in subgroups with small or particularly higher-risk tumors. There was an increased incidence of grade ≥3 AEs with T-DM1 in the non-AC vs the AC group but these did not result in increased treatment discontinuation and were likely driven by the imbalance in prior therapy.

Table 1. Risk of IDFS event in patients treated with non-AC versus AC based NACT, patients with small tumors, and patients with particularly higher-risk tumors.Unstratified hazard ratio of IDFS (95% confidence interval [CI])Patients treated with non-AC vs AC based NACT (N=1,486)Non-AC-based NACT: H (n=179) vs T-DM1 (n=164)0.43 (0.22–0.82)AC-based NACT: H (n=564) vs T-DM1 (n=579)0.51 (0.38–0.67)Patients with small (cT1cN0) tumors (N=77)H (n=32) vs T-DM1 (n=45)6 events with H; 0 events with T-DM1(hazard ratio not applicable due to zero events in T-DM1 arm)Tumor subgroups defined by nodal and HR status (N=957)Inoperable; any HR or ypN statusH (n=190)T-DM1 (n=185)3-year IDFS event-free rate, % (95% CI)60.2 (52.7–67.8)76.0 (70.0–82.4)Unstratified hazard ratio (95% CI)0.54 (0.37–0.80)Operable; ypN positive and HR negativeH (n=52)T-DM1 (n=58)3-year IDFS event-free rate, % (95% CI)69.5 (56.1–82.9)76.0 (64.5–87.5)Unstratified hazard ratio (95% CI)0.72 (0.35–1.50)Operable; ypN positive and HR positiveH (n=167)T-DM1 (n=168)3-year IDFS event-free rate, % (95% CI)77.2 (70.2–84.1)91.4 (86.6–96.2)Unstratified hazard ratio (95% CI)0.43 (0.25–0.75)Operable; ypN0 and HR negativeH (n=68)T-DM1 (n=69)3-year IDFS event-free rate, % (95% CI)77.2 (66.5–87.9)91.1 (84.3–97.9)Unstratified hazard ratio (95% CI)0.43 (0.17–1.06)

Citation Format: Max S Mano, Sibylle Loibl, Eleftherios P. Mamounas, Gunter von Minckwitz, Chiun-Sheng Huang, Michael Untch, Norman Wolmark, Irene L. Wapnir, Youngsen Yang, Alison K. Conlin, Sherko Kümmel, Mahasti Saghatchian, Michael P. DiGiovanna, Claudia Strunk, Martina Zimovjanova, Chunyan Song, Haying Liu, David Tesarowski, Steven Blotner, Lisa H. Lam, Melanie Smitt, Charles E. Geyer Jr. Adjuvant trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) vs trastuzumab (H) in patients with residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant therapy for HER2-positive breast cancer: KATHERINE subgroup analysis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-14-01.

A Phase Ib Study of Preoperative, Locoregional IRX-2 Cytokine Immunotherapy to Prime Immune Responses in Patients with Early-Stage Breast Cancer

PURPOSE

To evaluate the safety and feasibility of preoperative locoregional cytokine therapy (IRX-2 regimen) in early-stage breast cancer, and to evaluate for intratumoral and peripheral immunomodulatory activity.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Sixteen patients with stage I-III early-stage breast cancer (any histology type) indicated for surgical lumpectomy or mastectomy were enrolled to receive preoperative locoregional immunotherapy with the IRX-2 cytokine biological (2 mL subcutaneous × 10 days to periareolar skin). The regimen also included single-dose cyclophosphamide (300 mg/m²) on day 1 to deplete T-regulatory cells and oral indomethacin to modulate suppressive myeloid subpopulations. The primary objective was to evaluate feasibility (i.e., receipt of therapy without surgical delays or grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events). The secondary objective was to evaluate changes in stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte score. The exploratory objective was to identify candidate pharmacodynamic changes for future study using a variety of assays, including flow cytometry, RNA and T-cell receptor DNA sequencing, and multispectral immunofluorescence.

RESULTS

Preoperative locoregional cytokine administration was feasible in 100% (n = 16/16) of subjects and associated with increases in stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (P < 0.001). Programmed death ligand 1 (CD274) was upregulated at the RNA (P < 0.01) and protein level [by Ventana PD-L1 (SP142) and immunofluorescence]. Other immunomodulatory effects included upregulation of RNA signatures of T-cell activation and recruitment and cyclophosphamide-related peripheral T-regulatory cell depletion.

CONCLUSIONS

IRX-2 is safe in early-stage breast cancer. Potentially favorable immunomodulatory changes were observed, supporting further study of IRX-2 in early-stage breast cancer and other malignancies.

Trastuzumab Emtansine for Residual Invasive HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

Patients who have residual invasive breast cancer after receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted therapy have a worse prognosis than those who have no residual cancer. Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1), an antibody-drug conjugate of trastuzumab and the cytotoxic agent emtansine (DM1), a maytansine derivative and microtubule inhibitor, provides benefit in patients with metastatic breast cancer that was previously treated with chemotherapy plus HER2-targeted therapy.

METHODS

We conducted a phase 3, open-label trial involving patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer who were found to have residual invasive disease in the breast or axilla at surgery after receiving neoadjuvant therapy containing a taxane (with or without anthracycline) and trastuzumab. Patients were randomly assigned to receive adjuvant T-DM1 or trastuzumab for 14 cycles. The primary end point was invasive disease-free survival (defined as freedom from ipsilateral invasive breast tumor recurrence, ipsilateral locoregional invasive breast cancer recurrence, contralateral invasive breast cancer, distant recurrence, or death from any cause).

RESULTS

At the interim analysis, among 1486 randomly assigned patients (743 in the T-DM1 group and 743 in the trastuzumab group), invasive disease or death had occurred in 91 patients in the T-DM1 group (12.2%) and 165 patients in the trastuzumab group (22.2%). The estimated percentage of patients who were free of invasive disease at 3 years was 88.3% in the T-DM1 group and 77.0% in the trastuzumab group. Invasive disease-free survival was significantly higher in the T-DM1 group than in the trastuzumab group (hazard ratio for invasive disease or death, 0.50; 95% confidence interval, 0.39 to 0.64; P<0.001). Distant recurrence as the first invasive-disease event occurred in 10.5% of patients in the T-DM1 group and 15.9% of those in the trastuzumab group. The safety data were consistent with the known safety profile of T-DM1, with more adverse events associated with T-DM1 than with trastuzumab alone.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer who had residual invasive disease after completion of neoadjuvant therapy, the risk of recurrence of invasive breast cancer or death was 50% lower with adjuvant T-DM1 than with trastuzumab alone. (Funded by F. Hoffmann-La Roche/Genentech; KATHERINE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01772472 .).

Cognitive Complaints in Survivors of Breast Cancer After Chemotherapy Compared With Age-Matched Controls: An Analysis From a Nationwide, Multicenter, Prospective Longitudinal Study

Purpose Cancer-related cognitive impairment is an important problem for patients with breast cancer, yet its trajectory is not fully understood. Some previous cancer-related cognitive impairment research is limited by heterogeneous populations, small samples, lack of prechemotherapy and longitudinal assessments, use of normative data, and lack of generalizability. We addressed these limitations in a large prospective, longitudinal, nationwide study. Patients and Methods Patients with breast cancer from community oncology clinics and age-matched noncancer controls completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) at prechemotherapy and postchemotherapy and at a 6-month follow-up as an a priori exploratory aim. Longitudinal models compared FACT-Cog scores between patients and controls at the three assessments and adjusted for age, education, race, menopausal status, and baseline reading ability, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. A minimal clinically important difference cutoff determined percentages of impairment over time. Results Of patients, 581 patients with breast cancer (mean age, 53 years; 48% anthracycline-based regimens) and 364 controls (mean age, 53 years) were assessed. Patients reported significantly greater cognitive difficulties on the FACT-Cog total score and four subscales from prechemotherapy to postchemotherapy compared with controls as well as from prechemotherapy to 6-month follow-up (all P < .001). Increased baseline anxiety, depression, and decreased cognitive reserve were significantly associated with lower FACT-Cog total scores. Treatment regimen, hormone, or radiation therapy was not significantly associated with FACT-Cog total scores in patients from postchemotherapy to 6-month follow-up. Patients were more likely to report a clinically significant decline in self-reported cognitive function than were controls from prechemotherapy to postchemotherapy (45.2% v 10.4%) and from prechemotherapy to 6-month follow-up (36.5% v 13.6%). Conclusion Patients with breast cancer who were treated in community oncology clinics report substantially more cognitive difficulties up to 6 months after treatment with chemotherapy than do age-matched noncancer controls.

Cognitive Complaints in Survivors of Breast Cancer After Chemotherapy Compared With Age-Matched Controls: An Analysis From a Nationwide, Multicenter, Prospective Longitudinal Study

Purpose Cancer-related cognitive impairment is an important problem for patients with breast cancer, yet its trajectory is not fully understood. Some previous cancer-related cognitive impairment research is limited by heterogeneous populations, small samples, lack of prechemotherapy and longitudinal assessments, use of normative data, and lack of generalizability. We addressed these limitations in a large prospective, longitudinal, nationwide study. Patients and Methods Patients with breast cancer from community oncology clinics and age-matched noncancer controls completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) at prechemotherapy and postchemotherapy and at a 6-month follow-up as an a priori exploratory aim. Longitudinal models compared FACT-Cog scores between patients and controls at the three assessments and adjusted for age, education, race, menopausal status, and baseline reading ability, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. A minimal clinically important difference cutoff determined percentages of impairment over time. Results Of patients, 581 patients with breast cancer (mean age, 53 years; 48% anthracycline-based regimens) and 364 controls (mean age, 53 years) were assessed. Patients reported significantly greater cognitive difficulties on the FACT-Cog total score and four subscales from prechemotherapy to postchemotherapy compared with controls as well as from prechemotherapy to 6-month follow-up (all P < .001). Increased baseline anxiety, depression, and decreased cognitive reserve were significantly associated with lower FACT-Cog total scores. Treatment regimen, hormone, or radiation therapy was not significantly associated with FACT-Cog total scores in patients from postchemotherapy to 6-month follow-up. Patients were more likely to report a clinically significant decline in self-reported cognitive function than were controls from prechemotherapy to postchemotherapy (45.2% v 10.4%) and from prechemotherapy to 6-month follow-up (36.5% v 13.6%). Conclusion Patients with breast cancer who were treated in community oncology clinics report substantially more cognitive difficulties up to 6 months after treatment with chemotherapy than do age-matched noncancer controls.

Epirubicin With Cyclophosphamide Followed by Docetaxel With Trastuzumab and Bevacizumab as Neoadjuvant Therapy for HER2-Positive Locally Advanced Breast Cancer or as Adjuvant Therapy for HER2-Positive Pathologic Stage III Breast Cancer: A Phase II Trial of the NSABP Foundation Research Group, FB-5

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to determine the cardiac safety and clinical activity of trastuzumab and bevacizumab with docetaxel after epirubicin with cyclophosphamide (EC) in patients with HER2-positive locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) or pathologic stage 3 breast cancer (PS3BC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients received every 3 week treatment with 4 cycles of EC (90/600 mg/m²) followed by 4 cycles of docetaxel (100 mg/m²). Targeted therapy with standard-dose trastuzumab with bevacizumab 15 mg/kg was given for a total of 1 year. Coprimary end points were (1) rate of cardiac events (CEs) in all patients defined as clinical congestive heart failure with a significant decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction or cardiac deaths; and (2) pathologic complete response (pCR) in breast and nodes in the neoadjuvant cohort. An independent cardiac review panel determined whether criteria for a CE were met.

RESULTS

A total of 105 patients were accrued, 76 with LABC treated with neoadjuvant therapy and 29 with PS3BC treated with adjuvant therapy. Median follow-up was 59.2 months. Among 99 evaluable patients for cardiac safety, 4 (4%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1%-10.0%) met CE criteria. The pCR percentage in LABC patients was 46% (95% CI, 34%-59%). Five-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) for all patients was 79.9% and 90.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The regimen met predefined criteria for activity of interest with an acceptable rate of CEs. Although the pCR percentage was comparable with chemotherapy regimens with trastuzumab alone the high RFS and OS are of interest in these high-risk populations.

What does Medicaid expansion mean for cancer screening and prevention? Results from a randomized trial on the impacts of acquiring Medicaid coverage

BACKGROUND

The Oregon Medicaid lottery provided a unique opportunity to assess the causal impacts of health insurance on cancer screening rates within the framework of a randomized controlled trial. Prior studies regarding the impacts of health insurance have almost always been limited to observational evidence, which cannot be used to make causal inferences.

METHODS

The authors prospectively followed a representative panel of 16,204 individuals from the Oregon Medicaid lottery reservation list, collecting data before and after the Medicaid lottery drawings. The study panel was divided into 2 groups: a treatment group of individuals who were selected in the Medicaid lottery (6254 individuals) and a control group who were not (9950 individuals). The authors also created an elevated risk subpanel based on family cancer histories. One year after the lottery drawings, differences in cancer screening rates, preventive behaviors, and health status were compared between the study groups.

RESULTS

Medicaid coverage resulted in significantly higher rates of several common cancer screenings, especially among women, as well as better primary care connections and self-reported health outcomes. There was little evidence found that acquiring Medicaid increased the adoption of preventive health behaviors that might reduce cancer risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Medicaid coverage did not appear to directly impact lifestyle choices that might reduce cancer risk, but it did provide access to important care and screenings that could help to detect cancers earlier. These findings could have long-term population health implications for states considering or pursuing Medicaid expansion. Cancer 2016;122:791-797. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

Abstract P5-01-12: Breast specific gamma imaging (BSGI) and breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Comparison of sensitivity and specificity in women prior to breast biopsy with BIRADS 4 or 5 finding on mammography in a community setting

Background: Diagnostic imaging following a new diagnosis of breast cancer remains an active area of research balancing value and outcomes. Decisions about surgical options and neo-adjuvant therapy depend greatly on the accuracy of these pre-operative assessments. BMRI use has increased tenfold from 2000 to 2011 (Stout et al, JAMA 2013) and estimation of sensitivity has been high but specificity has varied between 30-80%(Bluemke et al, JAMA 2004). BSGI is a novel molecular imaging technique that uses a gamma camera to track the uptake of a radio tracer (technitium Tc99m sestamibi) by breast cancer cells and has been used interchangeably with BMRI without rigorous evidence of equivalency (Khalkhauli, et al, J Nuc Med 2000).The majority of research into the sensitivity and specificity of these tests has been retrospective, only on women with known cancer, and potentially biased by post-biopsy changes to breast tissue.

Methods: Therefore we performed a prospective study employing both techniques to image women with BIRADS 4 or 5 lesions on diagnostic mammogram prior to their planned breast biopsy. The BSGI and BMRI were reviewed by one of three dedicated breast radiologists and the pathology was reviewed on the biopsy or any additional biopsy/excision by one pathologist. We compared the BSGI and BMRI against the final pathology for sensitivity and specificity. In addition, we surveyed the women for quality of life measures 3 months later.

Results: Between January 2012 and April 2014 we enrolled 74 women (ages 30-80) at 2 NAPBC accredited breast centers located in a community based setting in Portland, OR. The initial diagnostic mammographic studies resulted in 23 women (32%) with BIRADS 4A, 27 (37%) with BIRADS 4B, 8 women with 4C (11%) while 8 women (11%) had BIRADS 5 lesions prompting biopsy. All women were biopsied and 27 (37%) were found to have an invasive or in situ cancer while 5 (7%) had atypical hyperplasia or LCIS found. Sixteen women had additional biopsies performed, outside of the planned area, as a result of BMRI or BSGI, 11 (69%) were based on BMRI findings and 5 (31%) were areas seen on both BMRI and BSGI. In these additional biopsies 5 were in situ or invasive cancer and 2 were contra-lateral cancers, the rest were benign tissue. The sensitivity of BMRI was 84.0% and BSGI was 74.1%. The specificity was found to be 57.8% and 80.4% respectively. One patient withdrew and 3 women did not complete BMRI due to claustrophobia or body habitus.

Quality of life data is still being analyzed.

Conclusions: We report here the sensitivity and specificity of BMRI compared with BSGI in women with BIRADS 4 and 5 breast lesions on diagnostic mammography. Importantly imaging was done before biopsy and therefore not biased by any effect from that procedure. In this study we find BMRI appears to have better sensitivity but lower specificity than BSGI. We also observed that the use of BMRI and/or BSGI prompted 16 extra biopsies of which less than half were additional or contra-lateral cancer. The incorporation of these tests into the evaluation of suspected cancer should consider these findings as well as cost and quality of life.

Citation Format: Alison K Conlin, Nicole Moxon, Helena Hoen, Christina Gougoutas-Fox, Maureen O Baxter, Amy Weinstein, Maritza Martel, Tracy L Kelly, Walter J Urba. Breast specific gamma imaging (BSGI) and breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Comparison of sensitivity and specificity in women prior to breast biopsy with BIRADS 4 or 5 finding on mammography in a community setting [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-01-12.

P1-14-01: Randomized Phase II Trial of Weekly vs. q 2-Weekly vs. q 3-Weekly Nanoparticle Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel with Bevacizumab as First-Line Therapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer

Background: Nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-P) 260 mg/m2 is superior to paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 (P) every 3 weeks (Gradishar et al. JCO 2005) in metastatic breast cancer (MBC), and weekly uninterrupted P is more effective than q3wk P in MBC (Seidman et al. JCO 2008). Bevacizumab (bev) nearly doubles response rate and time to progression (TTP) when added to P as 1st line therapy for MBC (Miller et al. NEJM 2007).

Methods: This open-label, phase II study randomized patients (pts) to nab-P at 260 mg/m2 q3wk (arm A) vs. 260 mg/m2 q 2wk with filgrastim (arm B) vs. 130 mg/m2 weekly uninterrupted (arm C), all with bev (15 mg/kg q 3 weeks arm A, 10 mg/kg q 2 weeks arms B and C). Patients were required to have measurable, HER2 negative MBC and no prior chemotherapy for MBC. The primary endpoints were response rate and toxicity.

Results: Of 212 pts randomized, 208 (75 arm A, 54 arm B, 79 arm C) were treated, with balanced demographics and baseline characteristics. The median age was 57 (range 29–85), 82% were postmenopausal and 89% had visceral disease (64% lung, 50% liver). ECOG PS 0:60%, 1:35%, 2:5%. 62% had prior neo-adjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy for early stage disease: anthracycline: 54%, taxane: 38%. No significant differences in confirmed complete and partial response rates were noted (A: 40%, B: 44%, C: 46%). Median TTP was longer in Arm C (9.0 months) versus both arms B (6.3 months) and A (8.0 months), overall p=0.065. There were no differences in overall survival (Arm A: 21.3 months, Arm B: 19 months, Arm C: 25.3 months). As per protocol-specified stopping rule, arm B was closed early due to an unacceptable safety profile with significantly more grade ≥ 2 fatigue (B:57%, A: 39%, C:39%, p=0.048) and bone pain (B:19%, A:10%, C:4%, p=0.024). Sensory neuropathy was common; grades 2/3/4: Arm A: 29%/32%/1%, Arm B: 15%/50%/2%, Arm C: 27%/43%/1%). Sensory neuropathy was commonly readily reversible with dose delay and reduction. Febrile neutropenia occurred in &lt;2% of pts in all arms. Arm C patients experienced significantly less arthralgia compared with arms A and B, but dose delays were frequent (86% of pts) on this planned uninterrupted weekly schedule. Bevacizumab-related events were consistent with prior phase III trials of taxane/bev; there were no new safety signals.

Conclusions: Significant and similar antitumor activity was observed in all arms. Weekly nab-P with bev (arm C) resulted in longer TTP. Weekly nab-P with bev (arm C) appears to have the highest therapeutic index, however sensory neuropathy is limiting, suggesting that a 3 week on/1 week off schedule could be preferable and should be studied comparatively.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-14-01.

Phase II trial of weekly nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel with carboplatin and trastuzumab as first-line therapy for women with HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer

PURPOSE

This multicenter phase II trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of weekly nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel with carboplatin and weekly trastuzumab as first-line therapy for women with HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We treated 32 patients who had measurable MBC that was HER2-positive defined by an immunohistochemical staining score of 3+ or gene amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization, required for those with an IHC of 2+. Patients were treated with albumin-bound paclitaxel 100 mg/m2 and carboplatin at area under the curve (AUC) = 2 on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle. Trastuzumab was administered at 2 mg/kg weekly after a loading dose of 4 mg/kg. Because of hypersensitivity reactions occurring during carboplatin infusion numbers 6-8 in 4 of the first 13 patients with this premedication-free regimen, the protocol was amended for carboplatin and dosed at AUC = 6 day 1 each 28-day cycle, in lieu of introducing steroid prophylaxis. Patients were treated with 6 cycles and allowed to continue with all 3 drugs or trastuzumab alone if free of progression and unacceptable toxicity after 6 cycles.

RESULTS

The overall response rate (ORR) was 62.5% (95% CI, 45.7%-79.3%) with 3 confirmed complete responders (CRs; 9%) and 17 confirmed partial responses (PRs; 53%). An additional 6 patients (19%) had stable disease (SD) for greater than 16 weeks for a clinical benefit rate (ORR + SD > 16 weeks) of 81%. As of April 16, 2009, 20 patients (63%) had progressed with a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 16.6 months (95% CI, 7.5-26.5 months). Antitumor activity was similar for patients treated with weekly carboplatin and every-4-week carboplatin (ORR, 65% vs. 67%, respectively). Hematologic toxicities were the only grade 4 toxicities noted and were infrequent with grade 4 neutropenia in 3 patients (9%) and 1 febrile neutropenia. Grade 2/3 peripheral neuropathy was uncommon (13%/3%).

CONCLUSION

Weekly albumin-bound paclitaxel with carboplatin and trastuzumab is highly active in HER2-overexpressing MBC. In the absence of corticosteroid premedication, which we avoided with albumin-bound paclitaxel, carboplatin seems best dosed every 4 weeks rather than weekly because of carboplatin-associated hypersensitivity reactions. The regimen was very well tolerated with few grade 3 and 4 nonhematologic toxicities experienced, and severe hematologic toxicity and peripheral neuropathy were infrequent.

Beyond cytotoxic chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of HER2-negative, hormone-insensitive metastatic breast cancer: current status and future opportunities

As reflected in its varied clinical behavior, appearances under the light microscope, and differential patterns of gene expression, metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is a heterogeneous disease. Systemic treatment decisions are guided by specific tumor characteristics and individual patient factors. For patients with hormone receptor (HR)-negative MBC and for those whose HR-positive disease has become refractory to hormonal therapies, cytotoxic chemotherapy has been the mainstay of systemic treatment. For hormone-insensitive, HER2-positive MBCs, the addition of trastuzumab to chemotherapy has resulted in improved outcomes. Hormone-insensitive MBC lacking HER2 overexpression includes the subset of patients with estrogen receptor/ progesterone receptor/HER2-negative (so-called triple-negative) disease, which represents a significant minority of all breast cancers. Therapeutic options for such patients are limited by the lack of specific targeted approaches, and this heterogeneous group will be considered collectively as well as separately in this overview of existing and emerging treatment strategies. Conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy, alone or in combination, has been the standard first-line treatment for patients with MBC not amenable to antiestrogen or trastuzumab therapy. The recent evaluation of new targeted therapies in combination with cytotoxic agents has created a new type of combination regimen. Agents targeting angiogenesis, the epidermal growth factor receptor, and various signal transduction pathways have been combined with chemotherapy and possess biologic activity in MBC. As these combinations are being investigated, parallel correlative studies aimed at enriching the population who will benefit most are under way.

Use of the Oncotype DX 21-gene assay to guide adjuvant decision making in early-stage breast cancer

The decision to use adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with early stage breast cancer involves the consideration of many factors that traditionally rely heavily on tumor size and lymph node involvement and a limited set of biologic characteristics such as estrogen receptor and HER2 expression. Overtreatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy is a significant concern among patients and physicians. Using the currently accepted guidelines it has been estimated that a large percentage of patients receiving chemotherapy for low-risk breast cancers may be overtreated. Gene expression profiling is a new technology being developed to help improve risk stratification of patients and to predict outcomes. The Oncotype DXtrade mark assay is one example of a gene expression profile validated in women with lymph node-negative, estrogen receptor-expressing breast cancer. This assay and others aim to help improve risk classification and recurrence prediction and, therefore, optimize selection of patients for adjuvant chemotherapy.

Point: combination versus single-agent chemotherapy: the argument for sequential single agents

Metastatic breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease, and treatment decisions depend on several individualized patient and tumor characteristics. Although combination therapy often shows improved response rates in metastatic breast cancer, few studies have shown superiority in overall survival. The choice of combination versus sequential single-agent treatment, therefore, must consider many factors, with no one strategy right for all patients. This article reviews several important clinical trials that address this issue, and argues for single-agent sequential therapy for most patients with metastatic breast cancer.

Taxanes in breast cancer: An update

Over the past decade the taxanes have proved to be fundamental in the treatment of breast cancer. Initially found to have efficacy in metastatic breast cancer, the taxanes are now vital components in the treatment of early-stage disease, in which their addition to adjuvant treatment of early breast cancer has been shown to improve overall survival. In addition, the taxanes have demonstrated a role in first-line therapy for metastatic disease, with some of the highest efficacy of any class of chemotherapy. Targeted therapies in combination with the taxanes have further improved survival for both early and metastatic disease. New formulations of taxanes may both improve antitumor activity and reduce toxicity.

Dermatological toxicity of ixabepilone

Ixabepilone is a new class of non-taxane microtubule-stabilizing agents. These agents bind tubulin, stabilize microtubules and, thus, block mitosis and result in cell death (1-8). In phase I studies, neutropenia was the only grade 4 toxicity while fatigue, anorexia and mucositis occurred as grade 3 toxicities. Neuropathy, myalgia, arthralgia, alopecia and gastro-intestginal toxicities also occurred at grades 1 and 2. No dermatological effects have been documented to date. Here, a case is reported of a 62-year-old woman with stage 4 breast cancer being treated with Ixabepilone (40 mg/m2) who developed a dermatological reaction not previously described as a toxicity from Ixabepilone therapy.

Homology and functional similarity of an hrp-linked pathogenicity locus, dspEF, of Erwinia amylovora and the avirulence locus avrE of Pseudomonas syringae pathovar tomato

The "disease-specific" (dsp) region next to the hrp gene cluster of Erwinia amylovora is required for pathogenicity but not for elicitation of the hypersensitive reaction. A 6.6-kb apparent operon, dspEF, was found responsible for this phenotype. The operon contains genes dspE and dspF and is positively regulated by hrpL. A BLAST search revealed similarity in the dspE gene to a partial sequence of the avrE locus of Pseudomonas syringae pathovar tomato. The entire avrE locus was sequenced. Homologs of dspE and dspF were found in juxtaposed operons and were designated avrE and avrF. Introduced on a plasmid, the dspEF locus rendered P. syringae pv. glycinea race 4 avirulent on soybean. An E. amylovora dspE mutant, however, elicited a hypersensitive reaction in soybean. The avrE locus in trans restored pathogenicity to dspE strains of E. amylovora, although restored strains were low in virulence. DspE and AvrE are large (198 kDa and 195 kDa) and hydrophilic. DspF and AvrF are small (16 kDa and 14 kDa) and acidic with predicted amphipathic alpha helices in their C termini; they resemble chaperones for virulence factors secreted by type III secretion systems of animal pathogens.