First-line Chemotherapy For Advanced Breast Cancer Research Articles

Phase II randomized trial comparing metronomic anthracycline-containing chemotherapy versus standard schedule in untreated HER2 negative advanced breast cancer: activity and quality of life results of the GOIM 21003 trial

BackgroundOptimizing chemotherapy to achieve disease and symptoms control is a noteworthy purpose in advanced breast cancer (ABC). We reported the activity and quality of life of a phase II study, comparing metronomic regimen with standard schedule as first line chemotherapy for ABC. MethodsPatients with HER2 negative ABC were randomized to non-pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (NPLD, 60 mg/m2 every 3 weeks) and cyclophosphamide (CTX, 600 mg/m2 every 3 weeks) (Arm A) or NPLD (20 mg/m2 day, on day 1, 8 and 15 every 4 weeks) and metronomic daily oral CTX 50 mg (ARM B). Primary end-points were overall response rate (ORR) and quality of life, secondary progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and toxicity. ResultsFrom August 2012 to December 2017, 121 patients were enrolled, 105 evaluable. Median follow-up was 21.3 months. Most patients had hormone receptor positive. ORR was 43 % in arm A and 50 % in arm B. Median PFS was 8.9 months in arm A and 6,4 months in arm B. There was no difference in OS. Total score was not clinically different between the two arms. Grade 4 neutropenia was observed in 12 patients and 16 patients respectively; alopecia G2 in 41 % (77 %) vs 14 (27 %) in arm A and in arm B respectively. One cardiac toxicity was observed (arm A). ConclusionsFirst line metronomic chemotherapy for HER2 negative ABC had similar clinical activity and quite better tolerability than standard schedule and could be considered a further treatment option when chemotherapy is indicated.

Immune gene expression and response to chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer

Background:Transcriptomic profiles have shown promise as predictors of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer (BC). This study aimed to explore their predictive value in the advanced BC (ABC) setting.Methods:In a Phase 3 trial of first-line chemotherapy in ABC, a fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) was obtained at baseline. Intrinsic molecular subtypes and gene modules related to immune response, proliferation, oestrogen receptor (ER) signalling and recurring genetic alterations were analysed for association with objective response to chemotherapy. Gene-set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of responders vs non-responders was performed independently. Lymphocytes were enumerated in FNAB smears and the absolute abundance of immune cell types was calculated using the Microenvironment Cell Populations counter method.Results:Gene expression data were available for 109 patients. Objective response to chemotherapy was statistically significantly associated with an immune module score (odds ratio (OR)=1.62; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03–2.64; P=0.04). Subgroup analysis showed that this association was restricted to patients with ER-positive or luminal tumours (OR=3.54; 95%, 1.43–10.86; P=0.012 and P for interaction=0.04). Gene-set enrichment analysis confirmed that in these subgroups, immune-related gene sets were enriched in responders.Conclusions:Immune-related transcriptional signatures may predict response to chemotherapy in ER-positive and luminal ABC.

Abstract P1-13-09: Prognostic relevance of prior endocrine treatments in overall survival (OS) at the time of first line chemotherapy in ER[+]/HER2[-] advanced breast cancer (ABC) patients

Abstract Background: International consensus stresses the preference for endocrine therapies (ET) for the ER[+]/HER2[-] ABC population. However, in real-world, chemotherapy (CT) is an extended practice long before exhausting endocrine options (Swallow E, Curr Med Res Opin. 2014). There is little knowledge on the prognostic factors that drives OS among the ER[+]/HER2[-] population at the time of first line CT for ABC. Methods: The Athena trial assessed safety of different first-line CT & bevacizumab regimens in 2.264 patients (pts) treated between 2006 and 2009 over 34 countries. A total of 1.492 ER/PgR[+]/HER2[-] pts were identified, as 585 TNBC pts (control arm). We adapted the ESMO 2012 guidelines of endocrine resistance to the data collected, considering 5 years the median duration of (neo)adjuvant ET. Endocrine resistance status (ERS) at the time of inclusion was measured by: (1) Progression on ET for Early stage (EEP) [on or within the first year of], and (2) Prior ET for ABC (AEP), whatever the duration or number of endocrine lines. Three ES were pre-defined: Low sensitive (LS): patients with both EEP and AEP criteria; moderately sensitive (MS): either EEP or AEP criteria, and Highly sensitive (HS): neither EEP nor AEP criteria. Other prognostic factors (PF) identified in a prior analysis (Llombart-Cussac A, Breast 2014) were incorporated in a multivariate Cox proportional-hazard model. Results: Median age was 53 years (range 22-93); 5.2% ECOG ≥2 and 28.9% with prior analgesic treatment. ER/PgR positivity were 94.4%/76% respectively. Patients were previously exposed to anthracycline (53.5%) and taxanes (21.4%) for early stage BC. Prior endocrine therapy in (neo)adjuvant and metastatic settings were (65.3%) and (31.8%), respectively. Pts de novo metastatic represented 19.3%, and the median DFI in pts progressing from an early stage was 43.2 mo. Liver involvement was observed in 40.3% of pts and 20.5% presented ≥3 organs involved. The ES for the population was HS: 492 pts (33%), MS: 755 pts (50.6%) and LS: 245 pts (16.4%). After median follow-up of 22.6 months (range: 0.1 to 43.6) and 752 OS events (50.4% of pts), median OS for HS, MS, LS and TNBC groups were >40 mo. (median not achieved), 26.3 (95%CI: 24.5–28.4), 20.1 (95%CI: 17.8–23.9) and 18.3 (95%CI: 16.3–19.7) respectively. 3-years OS survival rates for HS, MS, LS and TNBC were 53.5%, 34.8%, 23.9% and 26.6%, respectively. Multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios of OS for (HS vs LS) and (HS vs MS) were 2 (IC95%: 1.6–2.5) and 1.5 (IC95%: 1.2–1.8). The other PF related with OS were: ECOG≥2 or analgesics or corticosteroids 1.6 (IC95%: 1.4–1.8); liver mets or>2 involved organs 1.4 (IC95%: 1.2–1.6) and adjuvant anthracyline and/or taxane 1.2 (IC95%: 1.1–1.4). Conclusions: Nearly to 40% of ER[+]/HER2[-] ABC pts confronted to first line CT were precluded as highly sensitive to ET, achieving a median OS that doubles the less sensitive groups. Confirmatory studies with post-treatment information may be important to link this benefit to ET. However Endocrine Status may be useful to appropriately characterize or select patients in future first-line CT studies for HER2[-] pts. Citation Format: Llombart A, de la Haba-Rodríguez JR, Gligorov J, Aguirre E, Sampayo M, Cortes J. Prognostic relevance of prior endocrine treatments in overall survival (OS) at the time of first line chemotherapy in ER[+]/HER2[-] advanced breast cancer (ABC) patients. [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 P1-13-09.

A randomized trial of capecitabine (C) given intermittently (IC) rather than continuously (CC) compared to classical CMF as first-line chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer (ABC)

1031 Background: Intensive treatment is not indicated for many women having first line chemotherapy for ABC. We sought to determine for such women whether oral C was preferable to classical CMF, and whether C given continuously (CC) was preferable to the same total dose given intermittently for 14 of every 21 days (IC). Methods: 325 women were randomized between June 01 and July 05 to either IC (2,000mg/m2/d for 14 of every 21d), or CC (1,300mg/m2/d for 21 of every 21d), or CMF (cyclophosphamide 100mg/m2/d p.o. d1–14; methotrexate 40mg/m2 and 5-FU 600mg/m2, IV d1&8, every 28d). Treatment was continued until disease progression (PD), unacceptable toxicity, or intolerance. Clinical and quality of life (QOL) assessments were 3–4 wkly, and imaging was 3 monthly, both until PD. The primary endpoint was quality adjusted progression-free survival (QAPFS). Overall survival (OS), PFS, response rates (RR=CR+PR), QOL, acceptability of chemotherapy and adverse events (AE) were secondary endpoints. The analysis plan was to first compare IC v CC, and if p>0.05, then to combine the two arms (C = IC + CC) for comparisons v CMF. Primary analyses were with the logrank test. Cox’s models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR), 95% confidence intervals (CI), and to adjust for other factors. All p-values and CI are 2-sided. Results: OS was longer with C than CMF (HR .72, CI .55 to .94, p=.02, medians 22 v 18 mo). PFS was similar for C and CMF overall (HR .86, CI .67 to 1.1, p=.2, median 7 mo), and over the first 6 mo (HR 1.15, CI .81 to 1.6), but longer on C than CMF beyond 6 mo (HR .62, CI .44 to .87). Response rates were similar on C and CMF (21% v 18%, p=.8). Febrile neutropenia, infection, and sore mouth were more common on CMF; hand-foot syndrome was more common on C. Chemotherapy was continued beyond 6 mo in 40% on C but only 21% on CMF. PFS, OS, RR and AE were similar for IC and CC (p>0.4). Cox’s models adjusting for baseline factors corroborated all results and conclusions. Analyses of QAPFS, QOL, and acceptability of chemotherapy will be available in June 07. Conclusion: C improved overall survival with less toxicity and greater tolerability than classical CMF. C is a good first line option when more intensive treatment is not indicated. [Table: see text]

Dose-finding study of weekly docetaxel, anthracyclines plus fluoropyrimidines as first-line treatment in advanced breast cancer

The efficacy and safety of prolonged fluoropyrimidines, either intravenously or orally, prompted their integration with taxanes and anthracyclines in the treatment of advanced breast cancer (ABC). We conducted three subsequent dose-finding studies on first-line chemotherapy in ABC with anthracyclines, either epirubicin (E) or doxorubicin (A), and docetaxel (T), both given on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks, plus continuous infusion (CI) 5-fluorouracil (F) or capecitabine (X). Sixty-two patients (37% dominant visceral disease, 48% locally advanced disease, 45% two or more sites involved), received different doses of T (60--80 mg/m(2)), A (40--50 mg/m(2)) or E (60--90 mg/m(2)) and X (1,650 and 2,000 mg/m(2)), or CI F at a fixed daily dose of 200 mg/m(2). Cardiac function was monitored at baseline and then every four cycles by echocardiography. The median number of cycles per patient with all regimens was four (range one to eight). Haematological and gastrointestinal toxicity defined the maximum tolerated doses, at T-80/E-90 mg/m(2) with TEF, T-70/A50/X-2,000 mg/m(2) with TAX and T-70/E-80/X-1,650 mg/m(2) with TEX. Two patients treated with TEF developed transient cardiac toxicity (dilatative cardiomyopathy and coronary subtotal stenosis requiring stenting) after cumulative E doses of 400 mg and 1,100 mg/m(2), respectively. Fifty-nine patients were evaluable for response; the overall response rates (ORR) were comparable between regimens (54% with TEF, 71% with TAX and 86% with TEX), with an 81% ORR in 31 patients with locally advanced disease. The addition of fluoropyrimidines to weekly, intermittent ET is well tolerated and active in ABC.

Epidoxorubicin and docetaxel as first-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced breast cancer: A multicentric phase I–II study

The combination of anthracyclines and taxanes is currently considered the first choice chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer (ABC) and considerable emphasis has been placed on programs exploring the safest and most efficient way to integrate these classes of drugs in both the metastatic and, more recently, the adjuvant setting. We report here the overall results of the combination of epidoxorubicin (E) 90 mg/m2 and docetaxel (D) 75 mg/m2 as first-line chemotherapy in ABC. A total of 70 patients were entered in the initial dose-finding study (20 patients) and in the subsequent extended phase II trial (50 patients). Overall 54% of patients had dominant visceral disease and 57% had at least two metastatic sites. Adjuvant anthracyclines were allowed in the phase II part of the study based on the lack of cardiac toxicity observed in the phase I study at a median cumulative E dose of 480 mg/m2. A maximum of eight cycles of the combination was allowed, and cardiac function was monitored at baseline and after every second course by echocardiography. Overall, the median number of cycles administered with the combination was 4 (range 3-8). Neutropenia was confirmed to be the main haematological toxicity, with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) support required in 44% of the cycles. Febrile neutropenia occurred in 12% of cycles of the combination but 52% of the episodes could be managed on an outpatient basis with oral antibiotics. Overall, the median cumulative dose of E, including prior adjuvant anthracyclines, was 495 mg/m2 (range 270-1020 mg/m2). One patient who received adjuvant E together with radiotherapy to the left chest wall developed fully reversible clinical signs of cardiotoxicity and a significant decrease of LVEF to 35% after a cumulative E dose of 870 mg/m2, with four additional patients (6%) developing asymptomatic and transient decline of resting LVEF. The overall response rate (ORR) in 68 evaluable patients was 66% (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 54%-73%). A comparable antitumour activity of 71% was reported in the group of patients with a prior adjuvant chemotherapy with anthracyclines. After an overall median follow-up time of 22 months (range 4-39+), the median time to progression (TTP) was 4.5 months and the median duration of response was 8 months (range 3-16). No pharmacokinetic (Pk) interaction could be demonstrated between E and D when given simultaneously and sequentially with a one-hour interval. The combination of E and D in a multiinstitutional setting is an active and safe regimen in poor-prognosis patients with ABC. New combinations and schedules are worth considering in an attempt to further improve disease response and long-term control of the disease.