Trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and docetaxel: CLEOPATRA

Abstract

Use of trastuzumab and pertuzumab—anti-HER2 monoclonal antibodies—with docetaxel as a first-line therapy prolonged survival for patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, according to a new study. Further progress in HER2-directed therapyOutcomes for women with early stage HER2-positive breast cancer have improved markedly since the introduction of the HER2-targeted monoclonal antibody trastuzumab. Women with node-positive disease can expect relapse-free survival to exceed 80% when treated with multi-agent chemotherapy and trastuzumab.1,2 However, there is still room for improvement, both by further reducing recurrence rates and by decreasing the toxicities of treatment. For some patients, the option may ultimately exist to eliminate chemotherapy entirely. Full-Text PDF 34th San Antonio Breast Cancer SymposiumPostmenopausal women with metastatic breast cancer given first-line treatment of fulvestrant (F) and anastrozole (A) have a better progression-free survival (PFS) than those given anastrozole alone (median PFS 15 vs 13·5 months; hazard ratio [HR] 0·80, 95%CI 0·68–0·94; p=0·007) reported Rita S Mehta (Irvine, CA, USA). The benefit was particularly seen in the 60% of patients (n=414) who had not received previous adjuvant tamoxifen (median PFS 12·6 [A] vs 17·0 months [F+A]; HR 0·74, 0·59–0·92). However, there were three deaths in the fulvestrant group and two grade 4 toxicities compared with no deaths and four grade 4 toxicities in the anastrozole alone group. Full-Text PDF Efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant pertuzumab and trastuzumab in women with locally advanced, inflammatory, or early HER2-positive breast cancer (NeoSphere): a randomised multicentre, open-label, phase 2 trialPatients given pertuzumab and trastuzumab plus docetaxel (group B) had a significantly improved pathological complete response rate compared with those given trastuzumab plus docetaxel, without substantial differences in tolerability. Pertuzumab and trastuzumab without chemotherapy eradicated tumours in a proportion of women and showed a favourable safety profile. These findings justify further exploration in adjuvant trials and support the neoadjuvant approach for accelerating drug assessment in early breast cancer. Full-Text PDF