Correlation between breast cancer subtypes determined by immunohistochemistry and n-COUNTER PAM50 assay: a real-world study

PURPOSE

Molecular subtyping based on gene expression profiling (i.e., PAM50 assay) aids in determining the prognosis and treatment of breast cancer (BC), particularly in hormone receptor (HR)-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative tumors, where luminal A and B subtypes have different prognoses and treatments. Several surrogate classifications have been proposed for distinguishing between the luminal A and B subtypes. This study determines the accuracy of local immunohistochemistry (IHC) techniques for classifying HR-positive/HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) tumors according to intrinsic subtypes using the nCOUNTER PAM50 assay as reference and the HR status definition according the ASCO/CAP recommendations.

METHODS

Molecular subtypes resulting from nCOUNTER PAM50 performed in our laboratory between 2014 and 2020 were correlated with three different proxy surrogates proposed in the literature based on ER, PR, HER2, and Ki67 expression with different cut-off values. Concordance was measured using the level of agreement and kappa statistics.

RESULTS

From 1049 samples with the nCOUNTER test, 679 and 350 were luminal A and B subtypes, respectively. Only a poor-to-fair correlation was observed between the three proxy surrogates and real genomic subtypes as determined by nCOUNTER PAM50. Moreover, 5-11% and 18-36% of the nCOUNTER PAM50 luminal B and A tumors were classified as luminal A and B, respectively, by these surrogates.

CONCLUSION

The concordance between luminal subtypes determined by three different IHC-based classifiers and the nCOUNTER PAM50 assay was suboptimal. Thus, a significant proportion of luminal A and B tumors as determined by the surrogate classifiers could be undertreated or over-treated.

Assessment of a Genomic Assay in Patients With ERBB2-Positive Breast Cancer Following Neoadjuvant Trastuzumab-Based Chemotherapy With or Without Pertuzumab

Importance

Biomarkers to guide the use of pertuzumab in the treatment of early-stage ERBB2 (formerly HER2)-positive breast cancer beyond simple ERBB2 status are needed.

Objective

To determine if use of the HER2DX genomic assay (Reveal Genomics) in pretreatment baseline tissue samples of patients with ERBB2-positive breast cancer is associated with response to neoadjuvant trastuzumab-based chemotherapy with or without pertuzumab.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This is a retrospective diagnostic/prognostic analysis of a multicenter academic observational study in Spain performed during 2018 to 2022 (GOM-HGUGM-2018-05). In addition, a combined analysis with 2 previously reported trials of neoadjuvant cohorts with results from the assay (DAPHNe and I-SPY2) was performed. All patients had stage I to III ERBB2-positive breast cancer, signed informed consent, and had available formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor specimens obtained prior to starting therapy.

Exposures

Patients received intravenous trastuzumab, 8 mg/kg, loading dose, followed by 6 mg/kg every 3 weeks in combination with intravenous docetaxel, 75 mg/m2, every 3 weeks and intravenous carboplatin area under the curve of 6 every 3 weeks for 6 cycles, or this regimen plus intravenous pertuzumab, 840 mg, loading dose, followed by an intravenous 420-mg dose every 3 weeks for 6 cycles.

Main Outcome and Measures

Association of baseline assay-reported pathologic complete response (pCR) score with pCR in the breast and axilla, as well as association of baseline assay-reported pCR score with response to pertuzumab.

Results

The assay was evaluated in 155 patients with ERBB2-positive breast cancer (mean [range] age, 50.3 [26-78] years). Clinical T1 to T2 and node-positive disease was present in 113 (72.9%) and 99 (63.9%) patients, respectively, and 105 (67.7%) tumors were hormone receptor positive. The overall pCR rate was 57.4% (95% CI, 49.2%-65.2%). The proportion of patients in the assay-reported pCR-low, pCR-medium, and pCR-high groups was 53 (34.2%), 54 (34.8%), and 48 (31.0%), respectively. In the multivariable analysis, the assay-reported pCR score (as a continuous variable from 0-100) showed a statistically significant association with pCR (odds ratio [OR] per 10-unit increase, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.22-1.70; P < .001). The pCR rates in the assay-reported pCR-high and pCR-low groups were 75.0% and 28.3%, respectively (OR, 7.85; 95% CI, 2.67-24.91; P < .001). In the combined analysis (n = 282), an increase in pCR rate due to pertuzumab was found in the assay-reported pCR-high tumors (OR, 5.36; 95% CI, 1.89-15.20; P < .001) but not in the assay-reported pCR-low tumors (OR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.30-2.46; P = .77). A statistically significant interaction between the assay-reported pCR score and the effect of pertuzumab in pCR was observed.

Conclusions and Relevance

This diagnostic/prognostic study demonstrated that the genomic assay predicted pCR following neoadjuvant trastuzumab-based chemotherapy with or without pertuzumab. This assay could guide therapeutic decisions regarding the use of neoadjuvant pertuzumab.

Sapanisertib plus Fulvestrant in Postmenopausal Women with Estrogen Receptor-Positive/HER2-Negative Advanced Breast Cancer after Progression on Aromatase Inhibitor

PURPOSE

This phase II study investigated daily or weekly sapanisertib (a selective dual inhibitor of mTOR complexes 1 and 2) in combination with fulvestrant.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+)/HER2-negative (HER2-) advanced or metastatic breast cancer following progression during/after aromatase inhibitor treatment were randomized to receive fulvestrant 500 mg (28-day treatment cycles), fulvestrant plus sapanisertib 4 mg daily, or fulvestrant plus sapanisertib 30 mg weekly, until progressive disease, unacceptable toxicity, consent withdrawal, or study completion.

RESULTS

Among 141 enrolled patients, baseline characteristics were balanced among treatment arms, including prior cyclin-dependent kinase-4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor treatment in 33% to 35% of patients. Median progression-free survival (PFS; primary endpoint) was 3.5 months in the single-agent fulvestrant arm, compared with 7.2 months for fulvestrant plus sapanisertib daily [HR, 0.77; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.47-1.26] and 5.6 months for fulvestrant plus sapanisertib weekly (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.53-1.45). The greatest PFS benefits were seen in patients who had previously received CDK4/6 inhibitors. The most common adverse events were nausea, vomiting, and hyperglycemia, all occurring more frequently in the combination therapy arms. Treatment discontinuation due to adverse events occurred more frequently in the two combination therapy arms than with single-agent fulvestrant (32% and 36% vs. 4%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Fulvestrant plus sapanisertib daily/weekly resulted in numerically longer PFS in patients with ER+/HER2- advanced or metastatic breast cancer, compared with single-agent fulvestrant. The combination was associated with increased toxicity. Further development of sapanisertib using these dosing schedules in this setting is not supported by these data.

How we treat HR-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer

The present goal of therapy for early hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human EGF receptor 2-negative (HER2-) BC is to optimize disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates with the currently available therapies while avoiding any relevant long-term sequalae. Local therapies have evolved toward less aggressive techniques (i.e. breast-preserving surgery, sentinel lymph node biopsy and intraoperative radiotherapy), which significantly reduce the long-term sequalae observed with more radical treatments. Endocrine therapy (ET) is still the cornerstone of adjuvant treatment because it significantly reduces BC relapse and mortality. Adjuvant chemotherapy is today recommended only for a particular subset of patients with a high risk of recurrence with ET alone, identified through genomic assays, age and/or disease stage. Bisphosphonates reduce the risk of bone metastasis and produce a slight although statistically significant improvement in survival in postmenopausal women. The CDK 4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib has been recently approved by the US FDA for patients at high risk of relapse.

Abstract PS4-12: Potential value of FOXA1 expression as genomic predictor of response to docetaxel and carboplatin neoadjuvant (NA) chemotherapy in patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC)

Background: TNBC is a particularly aggressive subtype with high recurrence rates and poor long-term survival. Anthracycline-free regimens based on docetaxel plus carboplatin (TCb) achieve around 50-55% pathologic complete responses (pCR) which correlates with better survival outcomes. Identification of genomic predictors of response is key to individualize therapies for this heterogeneous breast cancer (BC) subgroup. FOXA1 is a pioneer factor for androgen (AR) and estrogen receptors (ER). Its under-expression has been linked to cancer stemness in TNBC and better prognosis in ER-positive BC. The differential expression of AR, FOXA1 and BRCA1 is associated with sensitivity to chemotherapy in TNBC patients. Data support the plasticity role of FOXA1 driving basal to luminal BC cells by inducing luminal genes but also by repressing the basal phenotype and thus, tumor aggressiveness, although its role as a biomarker in TNBC is still controversial. We have analyzed RNAseq data of FOXA1 and AR in a series of TNBC tumors homogenously treated with neoadjuvant TCb to study their correlation with survival and response. Methodology: 300 TNBC patients have been included in a multicenter, prospective, non-randomized trial aimed to identify predictors of response to TCb in the neoadjuvant setting (NCT01560663). 278/300 patients were evaluable. PAM50 subtypes (NanoString nCounter) and RNAseq (HiSeq2500) were analyzed for those patients with both available samples and evaluable pathological response (n=208). Correlations were studied by the Kendall method. Linear or logistic regressions were adjusted for univariant analysis depending on numerical or categorical response variables, respectively. Results: FOXA1 and AR were differentially expressed between basal and non-basal tumor subtypes (PAM50), being overexpressed in non-basal (p&lt;0.001 for both FOXA1 and AR). FOXA1 and AR were significantly overexpressed in non-basal subtypes from the Vanderbilt TNBC-type classification (36/208) as well. Both genes expression showed a significant correlation with several luminal marker genes. AR was significantly associated with ANXA9 (p=0,008), GATA3 (p=0,00002) and XBP1 (p&lt;0.001), while FOXA1 expression was positively associated with ANXA9 (p=0,03), ESR1 (p&lt;0.001),GATA3 (p&lt;0.001) and XBP1 (p&lt;0.001). In terms of response, significant differences in FOXA1 expression levels were found between responders and non-responders by Residual Disease Burden (RCB) classification taking response as binary variable of PCR vs RCB-I/II/III (p=0.003) as well as pCR/RCB-I vs RCB-II/III (p=0.008) with responders showing a lower FOXA1 expression level. The same analysis for AR expression did not show statistically significant differences. Within the PAM50 basal subgroup, neither AR nor FOXA1 individual gene expression (172/208) showed association with response. For survival, with a median follow-up of 36 months, neither FOXA1 nor AR showed significant impact on EFS or OS per univariate Cox regression analysis (EFS: HRFOXA1 1.076; p=0.307; HRAR 1.156, p=0.084 and OS: HRFOXA11.120, p=0.140; HRAR 1.152, p=0.121). Conclusions: Within our cohort, FOXA1 expression is a better predictor of response to NA chemotherapy than AR. FOXA1 is overexpressed in TNBC tumors who do not achieve pCR with neoadjuvant TCb chemotherapy, correlating with non-basal tumor subtypes. This suggests that measuring FOXA1 expression levels in patients with TNBC could be useful to predict response to TCb regimen enabling physicians to select more effective alternative NA schemes in this population.

Citation Format: Sara López-Tarruella, María del Monte-Millán, Enrique Alvarez, Yolanda Jerez, José Ángel García Saenz, Isabel Echavarria, Fernando Moreno, Ivan Márquez-Rodas, Coralia Bueno-Muiño, Blanca Herrero, Maria Cebollero, Rocío Ramos-Medina, Nerea Lobato, Ricardo González del Val, Maria Isabel Palomero, Santiago Lizarraga, Uriel Bohn, Ana Isabel Ballesteros, Patricia Rincón, Tatiana Massarrah, Inmaculada Ocaña, Lucía Villarejo, Charles M Perou, Miguel Martin. Potential value of FOXA1 expression as genomic predictor of response to docetaxel and carboplatin neoadjuvant (NA) chemotherapy in patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS4-12.

Neratinib for the treatment of early-stage, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-overexpressed breast cancer

HER2-positive breast cancer accounts for 18-20% of all breast cancers. Despite significant advances and the currently available adjuvant treatments for management of the disease, approximately 25% of HER2-positive early-stage breast cancer patients show relapse and die. Neratinib is an irreversible tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Multiple studies have reported its significant antitumor activity in metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. It is administered orally and has also been tested in the adjuvant setting. In this article, we present a comprehensive review of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of neratinib as well as its clinical efficacy, with an emphasis on early HER2-positive breast cancer and suggestions for future directions for neratinib research.

Concordance of Genomic Variants in Matched Primary Breast Cancer, Metastatic Tumor, and Circulating Tumor DNA: The MIRROR Study

PURPOSE

Genetic heterogeneity between primary tumors and their metastatic lesions has been documented in several breast cancer studies. However, the selection of therapy for patients with metastatic breast cancer and the search for biomarkers for targeted therapy are often based on findings from the primary tumor, mainly because of the difficulty of distant metastasis core biopsies. New methods for monitoring genomic changes in metastatic breast cancer are needed (ie, circulating tumor DNA [ctDNA] genomic analysis). The objectives of this study were to assess the concordance of genomic variants between primary and metastatic tumor tissues and the sensitivity of plasma ctDNA analysis to identify variants detected in tumor biopsies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Next-generation sequencing technology was used to assess the genomic mutation profile of a panel of 54 cancer genes in matched samples of primary tumor, metastatic tumor, and plasma from 40 patients with metastatic breast cancer.

RESULTS

Using Ion Torrent technology (ThermoFisher Scientific, Waltham, MA), we identified 110 variants that were common to the primary and metastatic tumors. ctDNA analysis had a sensitivity of 0.972 in detecting variants present in both primary and metastatic tissues. In addition, we identified 13 variants in metastatic tissue and ctDNA not present in primary tumor.

CONCLUSION

We identified genomic variants present in metastatic biopsies and plasma ctDNA that were not present in the primary tumor. Deep sequencing of plasma ctDNA detected most DNA variants previously identified in matched primary and metastatic tissues. ctDNA might aid in therapy selection and in the search for biomarkers for drug development in metastatic breast cancer.

Breast cancer PAM50 signature: correlation and concordance between RNA-Seq and digital multiplexed gene expression technologies in a triple negative breast cancer series

Background

Full RNA-Seq is a fundamental research tool for whole transcriptome analysis. However, it is too costly and time consuming to be used in routine clinical practice. We evaluated the transcript quantification agreement between RNA-Seq and a digital multiplexed gene expression platform, and the subtype call after running the PAM50 assay in a series of breast cancer patients classified as triple negative by IHC/FISH. The goal of this study is to analyze the concordance between both expression platforms overall, and for calling PAM50 triple negative breast cancer intrinsic subtypes in particular.

Results

The analyses were performed in paraffin-embedded tissues from 96 patients recruited in a multicenter, prospective, non-randomized neoadjuvant triple negative breast cancer trial (NCT01560663). Pre-treatment core biopsies were obtained following clinical practice guidelines and conserved as FFPE for further RNA extraction. PAM50 was performed on both digital multiplexed gene expression and RNA-Seq platforms. Subtype assignment was based on the nearest centroid classification following this procedure for both platforms and it was concordant on 96% of the cases (N = 96). In four cases, digital multiplexed gene expression analysis and RNA-Seq were discordant. The Spearman correlation to each of the centroids and the risk of recurrence were above 0.89 in both platforms while the agreement on Proliferation Score reached up to 0.97. In addition, 82% of the individual PAM50 genes showed a correlation coefficient > 0.80.

Conclusions

In our analysis, the subtype calling in most of the samples was concordant in both platforms and the potential discordances had reduced clinical implications in terms of prognosis. If speed and cost are the main driving forces then the preferred technique is the digital multiplexed platform, while if whole genome patterns and subtype are the driving forces, then RNA-Seq is the preferred method.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5849-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Severe toxicity to capecitabine due to a new variant at a donor splicing site in the dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPYD) gene

Severe, life-threatening adverse reactions to capecitabine sometimes occur in the treatment of solid tumors. Screening for dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPYD) deficiency is encouraged before start of treatment, but the genetic variants that are commonly analyzed often fail to explain toxicities seen in clinical practice. Here we describe the case of a 79-year-old Caucasian female with breast cancer who presented with life-threatening, rapidly increasing toxicity after 1 week of treatment with capecitabine and for whom routine genetic DPYD test resulted negative. DPYD exon sequencing found variant c.2242+1G>T at the donor splicing site of exon 19. This variant is responsible for skipping of exon 19 and subsequent generation of a non-functional DPYD enzyme. This variant has not been described previously but was found in three other members of the patient's family. With this case, we show that exon sequencing of DPYD in patients who experience marked toxicity to fluoropyrimidines and test negative for commonly evaluated variants can prove extremely useful for identifying new genetic variants and better explain adverse reactions causality.

Persistent major alopecia following adjuvant docetaxel for breast cancer: incidence, characteristics, and prevention with scalp cooling

Background

Persistent alopecia (PA) after docetaxel has been recently described. The aim of our study is to establish the incidence and characteristics of PA following adjuvant docetaxel for breast cancer (BC) and to test the ability of scalp cooling in prevention.

Patients and methods

BC patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy followed or not by endocrine therapy (and a control group receiving only endocrine therapy) were interviewed in a single institution at 1.5 to 5 years following primary diagnosis searching for PA. A confirmatory prevalence study was later performed in other two institutions. Finally, a prevention study using prophylactic scalp cooling (PSC) with ELASTO-GEL hypothermia caps in patients receiving adjuvant docetaxel was performed.

Results

In the initial prevalence study (492 patients), minor forms of PA (grade 1) were recorded with all chemotherapy regimens and aromatase inhibitors. Patients receiving docetaxel regimens at cumulative dose (CD) ≥ 400 mmg/m² presented a significantly higher prevalence of grades 1 PA (33–52%) and 2 PA (5–12%). Prevalence of grade 2 PA with docetaxel CD ≥ 400 mmg/m² was confirmed in two other institutions. Overall, grade 2 PA was seen in 10.06% (95% CI 7.36–13.61) of 358 patients with docetaxel regimens reaching CD ≥ 400 mmg/m², but not in patients with lower docetaxel CD, other chemotherapy regimens, or endocrine therapy alone. In prevention trial, no grade 2 PA occurred among 116 patients receiving adjuvant docetaxel (≥ 400 mmg/m²) and PSC followed-up after a 96 months median time. PSC was well tolerated. No scalp relapses were seen among 30 patients (22% of all inclusions) having disease relapse.

Conclusion

Adjuvant treatment with docetaxel (CD ≥ 400 mmg/m²) is associated with a significant rate of grade 2 PA, leading to wearing a wig, in around 10% of patients. This toxicity was completely prevented with scalp cooling. Clinical Trial Reference: NCT00515762.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s10549-018-4855-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Pathological Response in a Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cohort Treated with Neoadjuvant Carboplatin and Docetaxel According to Lehmann's Refined Classification

Purpose: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) requires the iden- tification of reliable predictors of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). For this purpose, we aimed to evaluate the performance of the TNBCtype-4 classifier in a cohort of patients with TNBC treated with neoadjuvant carboplatin and docetaxel (TCb).Methods: Patients with TNBC were accrued in a nonrandomized trial of neoadjuvant carboplatin AUC 6 and docetaxel 75 mg/m² for six cycles. Response was evaluated in terms of pathologic complete response (pCR, ypT0/is ypN0) and residual cancer burden by Symmans and colleagues. Lehmann's subtyping was performed using the TNBCtype online tool from RNAseq data, and germline sequencing of a panel of seven DNA damage repair genes was conducted.Results: Ninety-four out of the 121 patients enrolled in the trial had RNAseq available. The overall pCR rate was 44.7%. Lehmann subtype distribution was 34.0% BL1, 20.2% BL2, 23.4% M, 14.9% LAR, and 7.4% were classified as ER+. Response to NACT with TCb was significantly associated with Lehmann subtype (P = 0.027), even in multivariate analysis including tumor size and nodal involvement, with BL1 patients achieving the highest pCR rate (65.6%), followed by BL2 (47.4%), M (36.4%), and LAR (21.4%). BL1 was associated with a significant younger age at diagnosis and higher ki67 values. Among our 10 germline mutation carriers, 30% were BL1, 40% were BL2, and 30% were M.Conclusions: TNBCtype-4 is associated with significantly different pCR rates for the different subtypes, with BL1 and LAR displaying the best and worse responses to NACT, respectively. Clin Cancer Res; 24(8); 1845-52. ©2018 AACR.

Evaluation of Breast Cancer Patients with Genetic Risk in a University Hospital: Before and After the Implementation of a Heredofamilial Cancer Unit

The identification of patients at risk for breast cancer by genetic testing has proven to reduce breast cancer mortality. In 2010, due to a lack of systematization in hereditary cancer assistance in our center, we implemented a multidisciplinary Heredofamilial Cancer Unit (HFCU). We analyze if the HFCU improved the rates of referrals and preventive management of breast cancer patients with genetic risk. We retrospectively compared family history records, referrals of high-risk patients to genetic counseling, and detection and management of patients with BRCA1/2 mutations in two cohorts of breast cancer patients diagnosed before (first period: 2007-2010) and after the creation of the HFCU (second period: 2010-2013). In the first period, 893 patients were included, and 902 were included in the second. Due to the inability to establish their genetic risk, 142 patients (15.9%) vs. 70 (7.8%) were excluded from analysis (p < 0.001). Among the evaluable patients, 194 (25.8%) vs. 223 (26.8%) fulfilled one or more risk criteria (p = 0.65). Family history documentation in patient's medical records (92.4 vs. 97.8%, p < 0.001) and referral rate (26.3 vs. 52%, p < 0.0001) significantly increased in the second period. Eight BRCA1/2 mutations were detected among patients referred in the first period and 17 among those referred to the HFCU. The rate of preventive surgeries in patients with BRCA mutations significantly increased in the second period (25 vs. 76.5%, p = 0.03). In conclusion, there was a clear improvement in family history records, referrals, and preventive surgeries in breast cancer patients with genetic risk after the implementation of the HFCU.

Incorporating CDK4/6 Inhibitors in the Treatment of Advanced Luminal Breast Cancer

After optimizing endocrine monotherapy modalities in the setting of advanced luminal breast cancer (BC), dual endocrine/targeted therapy combinations have been tested with positive results, and are transforming this BC subtype treatment landscape. Cell cycle deregulation is a hallmark of cancer that has become a key druggable target in hormone receptor (HR)-positive BC due to its role in endocrine resistance mechanisms. Cyclin dependent kinase (CDK)4/6 inhibitors have experienced a fast development in combination with endocrine therapy and have already been commercialized in some countries. In this review, we will summarize the development of these CDK4/6 inhibitors in luminal BC, from the preclinical data to the pivotal phase III trials that led to their approval, focusing on the efficacy and safety data for each of the treatment settings. Moreover, we will consider the challenges CDK4/6 inhibitors face in their positioning in the algorithm of treatment for advanced luminal BC and the considerations physicians should take into account when selecting these therapies for their patients. However, we are still in need of reliable predictive biomarkers in order to identify patients who will derive the greatest benefit from these drug combinations that are not exempt from toxicity.

Ribociclib for the treatment of advanced hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer

CDK4/6 inhibitors are a promising new class of drugs for hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer and have been shown to overcome and delay hormone resistance in advanced breast cancer. Ribociclib, a selective oral inhibitor of CDK4/6, was approved by the US FDA for first-line treatment of hormone-receptor-positive/HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. This review summarizes the clinical evidence available for ribociclib, from preclinical data to the pivotal studies, with a special focus on toxicity and its management. In addition, this article reviews potential new combinations under study, as well as ongoing clinical trials both in the metastatic and early setting. Finally, this review compares ribociclib activity and toxicity with those of the drugs of the same class (palbociclib and abemaciclib).

Neratinib for the treatment of HER2-positive early stage breast cancer

INTRODUCTION

Despite the advances in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer, resistance to actual chemotherapeutic regimens eventually occurs. Neratinib, an orally available pan-inhibitor of the ERBB family, represents an interesting new option for early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer. Areas covered: In this article, the development of neratinib, with a special focus on its potential value in the treatment of early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer, has been reviewed. For this purpose, a literature search was conducted, including preclinical studies, early-phase trials in advanced cancer with neratinib in monotherapy and in combination, and phase II and large phase III trials in the early setting. Management of neratinib-induced toxicity, future perspectives for the drug, and ongoing trials are also discussed in this review. Expert commentary: Neratinib is emerging as a promising oral drug for the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. Although FDA and EMA approval is derived from the extended adjuvant treatment, this setting may not be the ideal scenario to obtain the beneficial effects of neratinib. Confirmatory data in the neoadjuvant setting and subgroup analysis from the ExTENET trial might bring some light into the best setting for neratinib therapy. Data from confirmatory trials in the metastatic setting are also required.

Abstract P4-20-01: Implications of financial modeling in breast cancer clinical research from 1990 to 2010

SUMMARY: Over the past two decades significant progress has been made in breast cancer treatment resulting in a substantial improvement in patients' outcome. But we have to think about who promotes all this research and the consequences of the type of fundingThis project aims to evaluate the implication of finance in clinical research and the variance according to the type of funding.

OBJETIVES: To evaluate the financial evolvement of breast cancer clinical trials in the past two decades, regarding the phase of development design of the studies, the collaboration between Academy (Acad) and Industry (Ind), the sample size, the study results and the statistical analyses conducted.

METHODS: A systematic review was performed using MEDLINE to identify breast cancer randomized clinical trials published between January1990 and December2010. Studies that involved chemotherapy, endocrine and/or targeted therapies, wherethe primary endpoint was considered adequate to support a drug approval in oncology according to the FDA and EMA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency, respectively), were included.

RESULTS:Data were evaluated 2,211 and 472 met selection criteria comprised in the methodology During the first decade the Acad was the main breast cancer research promoter being replaced by the Inv. throughout the second decade (p &lt;0.0001). Thirty nine percent of the studies evaluated were phase III (39% Acad, 61% Ind), 15% were phase II (30% Acad, 70% Ind) and the remaining 47% were not classified by authors (65% Acad 35% Ind). As for the primary endpoint, 25% of the phase III trials evaluated progression free survival, 15% overall response rate, 1% time to progression and only 5% examined overall survival. Sixty five percent of the trials were national (60% Acad 40% Ind) and 35% international (25% Acad 75% Ind). Single-center studies accounted for 11% of the trial (65% Acad 35% Ind). Most of the national trials were developed by the US. Fifty four percent of the studies were conducted by research groups (67% supported by Ind. and 33% Acad.). The Ind sponsored 26% of the studies in the first decade and 50% during the second. The median number of patients enrolled by research groups was 892 in contrast with 409 included by other organizations. The primary endpoint was achieved in 19% of the Acad trials and 21% of the Ind trials. Only 53% of the studies declared intention to treat based analysis in their statistical workout.

RESULTS  ACADEMY(%)INDUSTRY (%)PPROMOTION OF THE STUDY1990-2000121(26)68(14)0,0001 2001-2010105(22)178(38)0,0001STUDY DESIGNUNICENTRIC TRIALS34(7)18(4)0,007 MULTICENTRIC TRIALS191(40)228(48)  NATIONAL TRIALS183(39)122(26)0,0001 INTERNATIONAL TRIALS42(9)124(26)  COOPERATIVE GROUP95(20)160(34)  NOT COOPERATIVE GROUP130(28)86(18) STATISTICAL ANALYSISINTENT OF TREAT86(18)163(35)  NOT DECLARATED140(30)83(18) 

CONCLUSIONS:There is a significant tendency towards the promotion of research by the pharmaceutical industries during the last two decades, leading a change in the clinical trials design and the endpoints.

Citation Format: Jerez Y, Lopez-Tarruella S, Marquez-Rodas I, Perez S, Ocaña A, Echavarria I, Lobo M, Gallego I, Torres G, Ortega L, Garcia G, Palomero I, Gonzalez Del Val R, Massarrah T, Esteban M, Del Monte-Millan M, Martin M. Implications of financial modeling in breast cancer clinical research from 1990 to 2010 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-20-01.

Multicenter analysis of neoadjuvant docetaxel, carboplatin, and trastuzumab in HER2-positive breast cancer

PURPOSE

In an era where neoadjuvant dual blockade is emerging as the standard of care for early and locally advanced HER2-positive breast cancer, we aimed to identify predictors of response to single-blockade chemotherapy.

METHODS

This retrospective analysis reviewed all the incident stage I-III HER2-positive breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant docetaxel, carboplatin, and trastuzumab (TCH) in three institutions. pCR was defined as the absence of invasive tumor in breast and axillary nodes (ypT0/isypN0).

RESULTS

From 2008 to 2015, 84 patients receiving neoadjuvant TCH were identified within our institutions. The mean age at diagnosis was 51.8 years. 59.5% of the patients were hormone receptor (HR) positive, lymph node involvement occurred in 67.9%, and clinical distribution was 2.4, 65.5, and 32.1% for stage I, II, and III, respectively. pCR rate was 47.6%; there was a significantly lower response in HR-positive patients compared to HR-negative ones (34 vs 67.6%, p = 0.005). pCR rate was associated with tumor size, whereas differences did not reach significance either for stage or for nodal status. Multivariate analysis found that only HR status was associated with response (p = 0.003). At a median follow-up of 31.7 months, disease-free survival, distant disease-free survival, and overall survival were 78.6, 85.7, and 94%, respectively. Breast-conserving surgery was performed in 44% of the patients. Overall, TCH was well tolerated, with low rates of grade 3-4 adverse events, and neither late toxicities nor cardiac dysfunctions were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Neoadjuvant TCH, an anthracycline-free single-blockade regimen, achieved a pCR of 47.6%. Further molecular analyses are required in order to identify stronger predictive markers of pCR and thus for an accurate selection of patients who do not benefit from dual blockade.

Five Years of Multidisciplinary Care in Hereditary Cancer: Our Experience in a Spanish University Hospital

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the evolution of a multidisciplinary heredofamilial cancer unit (HFCU) in a university hospital.

METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of the activity of our HFCU in its first 5 years of existence.

RESULTS

Between July 2010 and July 2015, 1,518 patients from 1,318 families attended our HFCU. Genetic testing was offered to 862 patients. Of those, 833 (96.6%) accepted testing, with available results for 636 (76.4%). Pathogenic mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 were found in 175 patients. Lynch syndrome and adenomatous polyposis were the most frequent syndromes diagnosed (151/175, 86.3%) among 17 different syndromes studied. Of the 404 patients without a previous genetic diagnosis in the family, 62 (15.3%) were found to have mutations in disease-causing genes. Prophylactic surgery and follow-up (33.7%) or follow-up only (66.3%) was proposed for mutation carriers according to international guidelines and patients' preferences.

CONCLUSION

We have a high mutation detection rate, genetic test acceptance, and compliance with risk reduction strategies. However, there is room for improvement, especially in genetic testing timing, considering that an increase in the indications for genetic testing is expected.

Abstract OT3-01-02: A phase I-II trial of dasatinib in combination with trastuzumab (T) and paclitaxel in the first line treatment of HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients: GEICAM/2010-04

Background: Resistance to targeted-therapies is a current problem in our clinical practice. In HER2 overexpressing tumors, resistance to trastuzumab-based therapies is widely observed. Expression of SRC has been pre-clinically linked to trastuzumab resistance and the addition of the multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor dasatinib to trastuzumab increases its antitumor activity (Seoane S, et al. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2010). On previous studies, Dasatinib showed a good toxicity profile, with low grade 3-4 toxicity rates (E. Mayer, et al. J Clin Oncol 2009). We have designed a phase I-II trial combining dasatinib with standard trastuzumab/paclitaxel. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01306942). In this abstract we report the description of the phase II part of the trial which is ongoing.

Trial Design: Eligible patients must be HER2+ (evaluated by central laboratory and assessed by immunohistochemistry and fluorescent in-situ hybridization) MBC and candidates for trastuzumab + chemotherapy as first line treatment. Taxanes and trastuzumab administered in the adjuvant setting are permitted if given &gt;12 months before the inclusion. Patients with CNS involvement are eligible if treated and clinically stable without medication. Treatment consists of trastuzumab 2 mg/kg weekly (following a loading dose of 4 mg/kg in cycle 1), weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2, 3 weeks on-one week off) and dasatinib 100 mg once daily (based on the recommended phase II dose from the phase I part, Gil-Martin M, et al. European Breast Cancer Conference 2014, P-041) in a 28-days cycle. Patients are treated until radiologic or symptomatic progression or unacceptable toxicity.

The primary objective for this phase II is efficacy, measured by Objective Response Rate (ORR according to RECIST 1.1). Secondary objectives are: Safety (evaluated using NCI-CTCAE v 4.03), Clinical Benefit Rate, Time to Progression, Progression Free Survival and Response Duration. Pharmacodynamic biomarkers include pAKT, pS6, pSRC, pErk1/2 in tumor tissue samples, mononuclear cells in blood samples and in skin tissue. An additional exploratory objective is to evaluate the correlation between the early presence of lymphocytosis and efficacy. The study will be considered positive if ORR increases 25% from a 50% ORR observed in previous studies with paclitaxel + trastuzumab. We need to include 28 evaluable patients to demonstrate this hypothesis (with an alpha error of 0.05 and a statistical power of 80%), assuming a 10% drop-out rate. Twenty one patients have already been included. Recruitment is expected to finish by the end of 2015.

Citation Format: Ocaña A, Ruiz Borrego M, Gil-Martín M, Antolín S, Guerrero Á, Vidal Boixader L, Martín M, Trigo Pérez JM, Rojo F, Jerez Y, Atienza M, Pernas S, Hernando A, Carrasco E, Benito S, Caballero R, Pandiella A. A phase I-II trial of dasatinib in combination with trastuzumab (T) and paclitaxel in the first line treatment of HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients: GEICAM/2010-04. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr OT3-01-02.

Abstract P1-10-10: An integrative intervention to change breast cancer patients' lifestyle: A medical challenge. A randomize controlled trial

Background. Physical exercise increases breast cancer (BC) patients' survival. However, only about two thirds of them follow the American Guidelines of Exercise to cancer survivors. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an exercise intervention in breast cancer patients' lifestyle.

Methods. A randomized clinical trial evaluated an intervention (EXE) vs. a control (CON) group in early stage BC patients who recently finished the chemo and radio (neo) adjuvant. Intervention consists on exercise group classes combining aerobic and resistance activities designed specially for the necessities of these patients. Intensity was increasing gradually and intervention was controlled by a qualified in oncologic exercise specialist. CON group maintained their lifestyle without changes. Leisure-time exercise levels (LTEL), quality of life (QoL), grip strength index (GSI), physical capacity (VO2max) and fatigue, were assessed at baseline and after 3 months in both groups. Women who had been participated in the intervention group were followed up after six months to know if lifestyle levels were maintained.

ANCOVA and Pearson Test were used to analyze the continuous variables of baseline and final data and ANOVA test was used to analyze the follow-up data. A 95% of CI was calculated and p &lt; 0.05 was determined as statistically significant.

Results 89 women, aged 49.06±8.75, completed the study, 44 in EXE group and 45 in CON group. Adherence rate was on average of 89%. Main results are presented in the Table.

Main ResultsMEASUREEXE GroupEXE GroupEXE GroupCON GroupCON Group BLFFUBLFQoL*+107.53±17.99112.88±17.74110.96±14.40104.94±17.65103.11±19.26LTEL*+18.73±20.5345.11±14.6134.56±19.5116.02±8.5215.04±4.75GSI*+2.07±1.082.60±0.832.48±0.582.03±0.722.12±0.69VO2max*+26.99±4.3532.58±4.9632.11±7.1027.73±4.8227.08±3.73Fatigue *+130.09±19.68135.94±18.20138.24±17.49124.83±24.66124.00±24.20BL=baseline; F= Final; FU= Follow-Up. *Significant differences between EXE and CON. + Significant differences between BL and FU.

There was a significant improvement in LTEL (p=0.0001) and in QoL (p=0.0001) comparing EXE vs. CON group. In addition, results showed a correlation between this two variables in EXE group (r=0.22; p=0.013). These significant improvements, as well as the mentioned correlation, were maintained in the 6-months follow-up assessment in EXE group.

Significant differences between groups were observed in GSI (p=0.004), and in VO2max levels (p=0.001). EXE group showed a significant improvement in fatigue levels compared with CON group (p=0.0001). All these significant improvements were maintained in the 6-months follow-up assessment in EXE group, as well as previous variables.

Conclusion. These results suggest that an exercise intervention increases LTEL correlated to a better QoL, improving patients' lifestyle that could be long lasting. These changes may ameliorate psychological and physical BC treatments side effects, such as fatigue, in patients with early breast cancer that has recently finished adjuvant treatments.

Citation Format: Casla S, López-Tarruella S, Jerez Y, Marquez-Rodas I, Barakat R, Martín M. An integrative intervention to change breast cancer patients' lifestyle: A medical challenge. A randomize controlled trial. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-10-10.

Supervised physical exercise improves VO2max, quality of life, and health in early stage breast cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial

Breast cancer patients suffer impairment in cardiorespiratory fitness after treatment for primary disease, affecting patients' health and survival. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of a pragmatic exercise intervention to improve cardiorespiratory fitness of breast cancer patients after primary treatment. Between February 2013 and December 2014, 94 women with early stage (I-III) breast cancer, 1-36 months post-chemotherapy, and radiotherapy were randomly assigned to an intervention program (EX) combining supervised aerobic and resistance exercise (n = 44) or usual care (CON) (n = 45) for 12 weeks. Primary study endpoint was VO2max. Secondary endpoints were muscle strength, shoulder range of motion, body composition, and quality of life (QoL). Assessments were undertaken at baseline, 12-week, and 6-month follow-ups. Eighty-nine patients aged 29-69 years were assessed at baseline and 12 weeks. The EX group showed significant improvements in VO2max, muscle strength, percent fat, and lean mass (p ≤ 0.001 in all cases) and QoL compared with usual care (CON). Apart from body composition, improvements were maintained for the EX at 6-month follow-up. There were no adverse events during the testing or exercise intervention program. A combined exercise intervention produced considerable improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness, physical function, and quality of life in breast cancer patients previously treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Importantly, most of these benefits were maintained 6 months after ceasing the supervised exercise intervention.

Abstract P5-15-08: Exercise intervention to run away from breast cancer treatment side effects: An integrative approach

Background. Some studies have shown that exercise increases breast cancer (BC) patients’ quality of life (QoL) during and after treatments. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an specific exercise intervention in QoL and in the exercise levels of these patients.

Methods. A randomized controlled trial evaluated an intervention (IG) vs a control group (CG) in early stage BC patients who recently finished chemo & radio therapies. Intervention consists on controlled group classes combining aerobic and resistance activities. CG maintained their previous lifestyle. QoL, leisure-time exercise levels (LTEL), chest (CMS) and legs maximal strength (LMS), physical capacity (PC) and some psychological variables, were assessed at baseline and after 3 months in both groups. Women who participated in the IG were followed up (FU) after 6 months.

Statistical analysis (SA) were performed using unpaired t-test on continuous variables comparing CG vs IG, considering possible confounders. Pearson correlation analyses were employed to examine possible correlations. 6 months FU data were analyzed comparing baseline and after intervention results using non-parametric test (n=13). SA was performed with SPSS v18 software. 95% CI was calculated and statistical significance level of p &lt; 0.05 was used.

Results. 59 women (median 48.97±8.35 years old) completed this study. No differences between groups were observed at baseline. Average attendance rate to the program was 89%. There was a significant rise in LTEL (t123=16.33; p=0.0001) and in QoL (t123=2.88; p=0.005) comparing IG vs CG. Results also showed a correlation between QoL and LTEL in patients of IG only (r=0.22; p=0.013). Significant differences between groups were observed in both physical and psychological variablesafter training program.

Table 1. Results summary comparing intervention and control group.VARIABLESIntervention Group (n= 27) Mean±SDControl Group (n=32) Mean±SDFollow-Up (n=13) Mean±SDQoL*+112.88±17.74±103.11±19.26110.96±14.40LTEL*+45.11±14.6114.87±4.7834.56±19.51Body Fat Mass34.63±6.736.47±7.4735.74±4.56Muscle mass41.3±3.1638.78±8.5141.48±2.01Strength Index*+2.6±0.832.12±0.692.32±0.58CMS*+45.89±11.0731.47±9.8753.76±12.42LMS*+93.07±27.369.00±24.94114.65±24.29PC*+32.58±4.9627.08±3.7332.11±7.10FACT-F *+135.94±18.20124.00±24.20138.24±17.49SF-36 Physical Dimension*+48.49±4.8345.61±5.8249.75±2.75SF-36 Psychological Dimension*+43.00±8.1137.03±12.5844.33±7.33Depression*+6.83±7.8312.55±10.775.88±5.19*Significant differences were found between control and intervention group. + Significant differences were maintained between baseline and follow-up assessments.

No differences taking into account confounders were observed.Variable changes were maintained in FU participants assessed after 6 months. Correlation between QoL and LTEL (r=0.52; p=0.008) and significant weight loss (χ22=6.08; p=0.048) were observed.

Conclusion. These results suggest that a specifically designed BC exercise program increases LTEL, which correlates to a better QoL. This may reduce psychological and physical side effects of systemic treatment in patients with early BC that have recently finished treatments, even producing lifestyle changes in BC patients that could be long lasting.

Citation Format: Soraya Casla, Sara López-Tarruella, Yolanda Jerez, Iván Márquez-Rodas, Ricardo Cubedo, Isabel Calvo, Ana Martinez, Sara Cano, Rubén Barakat, Miguel Martín. Exercise intervention to run away from breast cancer treatment side effects: An integrative approach [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 P5-15-08.

Circulating tumor cells following first chemotherapy cycle: an early and strong predictor of outcome in patients with metastatic breast cancer

We investigated the prognostic significance of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) determined immediately before the second cycle of chemotherapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The CTC counts were taken at baseline, before the first cycle of chemotherapy (CTC-0), and on day 21 before commencing the second cycle of chemotherapy (CTC-21) in consecutive MBC patients. The study's primary objectives were to analyze relationships between CTC-21 count and overall survival (OS). Based on the current literature, the CTC measurements were dichotomized as 0-4 versus ≥ 5 CTCs. Of 117 patients recruited, 99 were evaluable. Patients with 0-4 CTCs on day 21 had a significantly better OS than those with ≥ 5 CTCs (median OS: 38.5 months vs. 8.7 months). They also had a significantly better progression-free survival (PFS; median: 9.4 months vs. 3.0 months) and clinical benefit rate (77% vs. 44%). The OS of patients whose baseline CTCs were ≥ 5 but dropped to <5 on day 21 was apparently similar to those who had <5 CTCs at baseline. In a Cox regression analysis, CTC-21 was the only independent variable significantly predicting OS and PFS. Our data indicate that CTCs determined immediately before the second cycle of chemotherapy is an early and strong predictor of treatment outcome in MBC patients.

Evaluation of a heredofamilial cancer unit in increasing family history collection and genetic counseling referrals among Spanish oncologists at a university hospital

A comprehensive family history is essential to identify patients at risk for hereditary cancer who could benefit from genetic counseling (GC). In a previous study, we observed a low occurrence of family history record (FHR) collection rate and GC referral among oncologists at our institution. The present work analyzes whether the implementation of a heredofamilial cancer unit (HFCU) would improve these parameters. We retrospectively compared the FHR rate in clinical records, National Cancer Institute (NCI) general criteria for hereditary cancer suspicion, GC referrals and FHR quality in two cohorts: cohort 1 (patients diagnosed before HFCU creation) and cohort 2 (after HFCU creation). Of 1,175 patients (590 cohort 1 and 585 cohort 2), FHRs were consigned in 27.3 % and 52.5 % of patients, respectively (p < 0.001). The GC referral of patients with any NCI criterion was 13.6 % xin cohort 1 vs. 40.5 % in cohort 2 (p < 0.001). FHR quality improved in terms of the total number of relatives (164 vs. 314, p = 0.1, N.S.) and number of healthy relatives consigned (80 vs. 191, p < 0.01). Nine mutations (6 BRCA, 1 MEN1, 2 Lynch), 4 unknown significance variants (all in BRCA) and 2 with no mutation were identified among patients referred from cohort 2. We conclude that the creation of a heredofamilial cancer unit has changed both FHR and GC referrals among oncologists at our institution, although continuous educational efforts are required.

Neratinib (HKI-272) in the treatment of breast cancer

Neratinib is an orally available, small, irreversible, pan-HER kinase inhibitor. HER-2-positive breast cancer is a breast cancer subtype with an increasing body of knowledge regarding potential targeted drug combinations that are significantly improving outcomes through a biologically tailored therapy approach; neratinib emerges as a promising tool in this context. This article reviews the molecular and clinical development of neratinib, an example of a covalent drug, from preclinical models to Phase III clinical trials, focusing on breast cancer treatment. The potential combinations of neratinib with chemotherapy in the metastatic, adjuvant and even neoadjuvant settings are appraised. These results and future perspectives will be discussed.