Best of ASCO 2021: new data from triple-negative breast cancer

Christian Singer

doi:10.1007/s12254-021-00750-0

Abstract

SummaryThis year’s ASCO Annual Meeting has been a showcase for the overwhelming success of novel, targeted therapies, particularly in a tumor entity that has – until recently – been felt to be only treatable with chemotherapy. New data are extremely encouraging, but also highlight the need for target identification beyond the classical clinicopathological factors. Both, the Olympia and the Neotala study have been performed in BRCA-mutated tumors, and their results clearly point to the necessity to offer germline testing to HER2-negative high risk early breast cancer. In addition, GeparNuevo once more highlights the fact that immunotherapy is here to stay, not only in the advanced breast cancer setting, but also in early stage breast cancer. The side effect profile is acceptable, and long-term outcome a real improvement to conventional chemotherapy.

Highlights

Women with a germline BRCA1/2 mutation who had developed HER2-negative (TNBC or hormone-receptor+ [HR+]) high-risk early breast cancer were included after completion of their curative local treatment andadjuvant chemotherapy
invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) events occurred in 106/921 and 178/915 patients assigned to olaparib and placebo, respectively
distant DFS (DDFS) was significantly improved with olaparib (HR 0.57; 99.5% CI 0.39, 0.83; P < 0.0001); 3-year DDFS was 87.5% vs 80.4%

Summary

Introduction

OlympiA is a phase III, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of adjuvant olaparib after (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with germline BRCA1/2 mutations and high-risk HER2-negative early breast cancer [1]. Women with a germline BRCA1/2 mutation who had developed HER2-negative (TNBC or hormone-receptor+ [HR+]) high-risk early breast cancer were included after completion of their curative local treatment and (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy. IDFS events occurred in 106/921 and 178/915 patients assigned to olaparib and placebo, respectively.

Results

Conclusion