Taxanes In Breast Cancer Research Articles

Process evaluation protocol plan for a home-based physical activity intervention versus educational intervention for persistent taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy (B-HAPI study): a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundEvaluation publications typically summarize the results of studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of an intervention, but little is shared concerning any changes implemented during the study. We present a process evaluation protocol of a home-based gait, balance, and resistance exercise intervention to ameliorate persistent taxane-induced neuropathy study according to 7 key elements of process evaluation.MethodsThe process evaluation is conducted parallel to the longitudinal, randomized control clinical trial examining the effects of the home-based gait, balance, and resistance exercise program for women with persistent peripheral neuropathy following treatment with taxanes for breast cancer (IRB approval: Pro00040035). The flowcharts clarify how the intervention should be implemented in comparable settings, fidelity procedures help to ensure the participants are comfortable and identify their individual needs, and the process evaluation allows for the individual attention tailoring and focus of the research to avoid protocol deviation.ConclusionsThe publication of the evaluation protocol plan adds transparency to the findings of clinical trials and favors process replication in future studies. The process evaluation enables the team to systematically register information and procedures applied during recruitment and factors that impact the implementation of the intervention, thereby allowing proactive approaches to prevent deviations from the protocol. When tracking an intervention continuously, positive or negative intervention effects are revealed early on in the study, giving valuable insight into inconsistent results. Furthermore, a process evaluation adds a participant-centered element to the research protocols, which allows a patient-centered approach to be applied to data collection.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04621721, November 9, 2020, registered prospectively. Protocol version: April 27, 2020, v2.

Exploring assessment of balance using virtual reality in patients at risk of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common dose-limiting toxicity for people treated for cancer. Impaired balance and falls are functional consequences of CIPN. Virtual reality (VR) technology may be able to assess balance and identify patients at risk of falls. To assess the impact of potentially neurotoxic chemotherapy on balance using VR, and explore associations between VR balance assessment, falls and CIPN. This prospective, repeated measures longitudinal study was conducted at two Australian cancer centres. Eligible participants were commencing adjuvant chemotherapy containing a taxane for breast cancer, or oxaliplatin for colorectal cancer (CRC), per institutional guidelines. Balance assessments using VR were conducted at baseline, end of chemotherapy and 3 and 6 months after completion of chemotherapy. Participants also completed a comprehensive CIPN assessment comprising clinical and patient-reported outcomes, and recorded falls or near falls. Out of 34 participants consented, 24 (71%) had breast cancer and 10 (29%) had CRC. Compared to baseline, balance threshold was reduced in 10/28 (36%) evaluable participants assessed at the end of chemotherapy, and persistent in 7/22 (32%) at 6months. CIPN was identified in 86% at end of chemotherapy and persisted to 6months after chemotherapy completion in 73%. Falls or near falls were reported by 12/34 (35%) participants, and were associated with impaired VR balance threshold (P=0.002). While VR balance assessment was no better at identifying CIPN than existing measures, it is a potential surrogate method to assess patients at risk of falls from CIPN.

Lipid-based Nanocarriers Loaded with Taxanes for the Management of Breast Cancer: Promises and Challenges

Breast cancer is the leading cause of deaths worldwide among women. Taxanes (most propitious class of diterpenes) have shown dynamic potentials in the treatment of early and metastatic breast cancer. However, challenges like poor bioavailability, low tissue-permeability, compromised aqueous solubility, and dose-dependent side-effects limit the clinical applications of these drugs. Henceforth, to overcome these challenges, various nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems are being explored for the delivery of taxanes in the management of breast cancer. One such promising nanocarrier category is lipid-based nanocarriers, which employ the meritorious features of a variety of lipids, both of natural and synthetic origin. It is also known that lipid uptake plays a significant role in breast cancer cells proliferation and tumor genesis. However, lipid-based nanocarriers could be a great choice to nanoencapsulate the poorly soluble and permeable taxanes for breast cancer management. These systems have an immense promise of bioavailability enhancement, spatial and temporal taxane delivery, improved efficacy, reduced dosing frequency, and even mild inhibition of the P-gp efflux mechanism. Apart from these promises, these carriers are not yet available for the benefit of the end-user. The present review will not only discuss the merits, progress, and promises of these systems but also ponder upon the various challenges faced by these carriers to reach the clinics for the benefit of the patients afflicted with breast cancer.

Taxane-induced acute interstitial pneumonitis in patients with breast cancer and outcome of taxane rechallenge.

Background:Although rare, taxane-induced interstitial pneumonitis is a well-recognized toxicity following chemotherapy. Data on taxane rechallenge in patients who developed taxane-induced interstitial pneumonitis following chemotherapy are limited. Here, we share our experience of acute interstitial pneumonitis following taxane chemotherapy for breast cancer and its clinical outcome following steroids and subsequent rechallenge with taxanes in selected patients without residual lung abnormalities on imaging following steroid treatment.Objectives:To study the taxane-induced acute interstitial pneumonitis in patients with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy and outcome of taxane rechallenge in these patients.Materials and Methods:Patients with breast cancer who developed taxane-induced acute interstitial pneumonitis following chemotherapy either with paclitaxel or docetaxel were included.Results:Among 1240 patients with breast cancer, who received chemotherapy with either docetaxel or paclitaxel, 41 patients developed taxane-induced acute interstitial lung disease (ILD) during the study period. The interstitial pneumonitis was more seen with docetaxel. Among paclitaxel regimens, weekly schedules showed more cases of ILD than 2 weekly paclitaxel. After steroid pulse/maintenance treatment, complete resolution of lung abnormalities was seen in 76%, but residual interstitial pattern on imaging was noted in 24% of patients. Taxane rechallenge was done in 20 (49%) patients. Agents used were paclitaxel, nab-paclitaxel, or docetaxel. All rechallenged patients received short-course oral steroids for one week following taxane rechallenge as a safety measure. Rechallenge was not done in 51% either due to patient unwillingness for rechallenge (27%) or patient with residual interstitial pattern on imaging (24%). None of the patients experienced any recurrence of pneumonitis or any mortality following taxane rechallenge.Conclusion:Acute interstitial pneumonitis is a well-known toxicity following taxanes in breast cancer and taxane rechallenge is an option in those patients without any residual pneumonitis following steroid pulse/maintenance. We also advise short-course oral steroids for 1 week following taxane rechallenge as a safety measure. We strongly do not recommend rechallenge in patients with residual lung abnormalities after steroids.

FABP7 is a potential biomarker to predict response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer

BackgroundEarly prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is critical in choosing appropriate chemotherapeutic regimen for patients with locally advanced breast cancer. Herein, we sought to identify potential biomarkers to predict the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer patients.MethodsThree genomic profiles acquired by microarray analysis from subjects with or without residual tumors after NAC downloaded from the GEO database were used to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). An array of public databases, including ONCOMINE, cBioportal, Breast Cancer Gene Expression Miner v4.0, and the Kaplan Meir-plotter, etc., were used to evaluate the potential functions, related signaling pathway, as well as prognostic values of FABP7 in breast cancer. Anti-cancer drug sensitivity assay, real-time PCR, flow cytometry and western-blotting assays were used to investigate the function of FABP7 in breast cancer cells and examine the relevant mechanism.ResultsTwo differentially expressed genes, including FABP7 and ESR1, were identified to be potential indicators of response to anthracycline and taxanes for breast cancer. FABP7 was associated with better chemotherapeutic response, while ESR1 was associated with poorer chemotherapeutic effectiveness. Generally, the expression of FABP7 was significantly lower in breast cancer than normal tissue samples. FABP7 mainly high expressed in ER-negative breast tumor and might regulate cell cycle to enhance chemosensitivity. Moreover, elevated FABP7 expression increased the percentage of cells at both S and G2/M phase in MDA-MB-231-ADR cells, and decreased the percentage of cells at G0/G1 phase, as compared to control group. Western-blotting results showed that elevated FABP7 expression could increase Skp2 expression, while decrease Cdh1 and p27kip1 expression in MDA-MB-231-ADR cells. In addition, FABP7 was correlated to longer recurrence-free survival (RFS) in BC patients with ER-negative subtype of BC treated with chemotherapy.ConclusionFABP7 is a potential favorable biomarker and predicts better response to NAC in breast cancer patients. Future study on the predictive value and detail molecular mechanisms of FABP7 in contribution to chemosensitivity in breast cancer is warranted.

Differential Benefit of Adjuvant Docetaxel-Based Chemotherapy in Patients With Early Breast Cancer According to Baseline Body Mass Index.

Lipophilic drugs, such as taxanes, have a high affinity for adipose tissue and a resulting higher volume of distribution. Here, we reanalyzed clinical trial data to investigate whether the efficacy of docetaxel-based chemotherapy differs from non-docetaxel-based chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer according to their baseline body mass index (BMI). We retrospectively analyzed data from all of the patients in the adjuvant BIG 2-98 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00174655; N = 2,887) comparing non-docetaxel- to docetaxel-containing chemotherapy. BMI (kg/m2) was categorized as follows: 18.5 to < 25, lean; 25 to < 30, overweight; and ≥ 30, obese. Disease-free survival (DFS) was the primary endpoint, and overall survival (OS) was the secondary endpoint. A second-order interaction was assessed among treatment, BMI, and estrogen receptor (ER) status. There was no difference in DFS or OS according to BMI in the non-docetaxel group, while reduced DFS and OS were observed with increasing BMI category in the docetaxel group. Adjusted hazard ratios for DFS and OS were, respectively, 1.12 (95% CI, 0.98 to 1.50; P = .21) and 1.27 (95% CI, 1.01 to 1.60; P = .04) for overweight versus lean groups and were 1.32 (95% CI, 1.08 to 1.62; P = .007) and 1.63 (95% CI, 1.27 to 2.09; P < .001), respectively, for obese versus lean groups. Similar results were obtained when considering ER-negative and ER-positive tumors separately and when considering only patients who received a relative dose intensity ≥ 85% for docetaxel. A joint modifying role of BMI and ER status on treatment effect was evident for DFS (adjusted P = .06) and OS (adjusted P = .04). This retrospective analysis of a large adjuvant trial highlights a differential response to docetaxel according to BMI, which calls for a body composition-based re-evaluation of the risk-benefit ratio of the use of taxanes in breast cancer. These results now must be confirmed in additional series.

Long-term neurotoxicity in women with breast cancer.

e23089 Background: Taxanes (paclitaxel and docetaxel) are commonly administered as part of chemotherapy for breast cancer, but long-term data on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) are limited in this population. We aimed to assess CIPN approximately three years after an initial exposure to paclitaxel or docetaxel. Methods: In a cross-sectional observation study, which surveyed consented enrollees annually after receipt of care at Mayo Clinic for a new breast cancer diagnosis over age 18, we collected patient-reported EORTC CIPN20 data by mailed questionnaire at baseline and three years after a breast cancer diagnosis. We then confirmed patient-reported chemotherapy data by chart abstraction and only included those who had received a standard course of docetaxel-based or paclitaxel-based chemotherapy, but had not had other neurotoxic treatment for cancer. CIPN20 overall and sensory scale raw scores were converted to a 0-100 linear scale with lower scores indicating more severe symptoms. Results: 84 women who received a taxane for breast cancer completed the survey. 82 were treated in the adjuvant or neo-adjuvant setting, while 2 received a taxane for metastatic breast cancer. 67 women received paclitaxel, while 17 received docetaxel. The median age at diagnosis was 51.5 years (range 31-86). 37 had estrogen receptor (ER) and/or progesterone receptor (PR) positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (Her2) negative, 31 Her2 positive, and 16 triple negative breast cancer. The median CIPN20 score was 92.98 (range 33.33-100). The median sensory CIPN score was 92.59 (range 25.94-100). 81% of women had an overall CIPN20 score of less than 100, and 68% had a sensory score of less than 100. Conclusions: The majority of women who received a taxane based chemotherapy regimen for breast cancer reported at least mild neuropathic symptoms three years out from treatment. Additional research is needed to help tailor chemotherapy decisions to toxicity risks and to reduce the likelihood of long-term CIPN, which can impair quality of life.

A pharmacogenetic analysis of peripheral sensory neuropathy related to administration of taxanes in breast cancer patients.

e13133 Background: Commonly used in the treatment of breast cancer, the taxane class includes paclitaxel and docetaxel. Both medications are primarily metabolized by cytochrome P450 enzymes and transporters mediate drug membrane influx and efflux. Variability in metabolizing enzymes and drug transporter function can affect drug clearance. This study sought to determine if the presence of pharmacogenetic changes in metabolizing enzymes and transporters resulted in a patient experiencing peripheral sensory neuropathy. Methods: In this case-control study, patients were enrolled between April 13, 2018 and April 30, 2018. Electronic medical records of patients with current appointments at Cone Health Cancer Center- Wesley Long were reviewed to identify patients who completed treatment with taxanes for breast cancer after January 1, 2017 for evaluation for inclusion in the study. Buccal swabs for pharmacogenetics testing were collected. Genes of interest, ABCB1, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and SLCO1B1, were evaluated and data was categorized by phenotype. Baseline characteristics and phenotype results were compared using Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and Wilcoxon Rank Sum for numeric variables as appropriate. Results: Thirty-three patients were included in the final analysis. The population was mainly white at 72% and all patients in the study were female. The average patient age was 57 years old. Most patients had stage 1 breast cancer. Most patients received docetaxel. Among patients with peripheral sensory neuropathy, nine were grade 1, five were grade 2, and seven were grade 3. Resulting phenotypes: CYP3A5, all patients were normal metabolizers. CYP3A5, 7 normal metabolizer, 4 intermediate, and 22 poor. SLCO1B1, 25 normal function, 8 intermediate, and no low. ABCB1, 13 normal function, 7 intermediate, and 13 low. For all genes, there was no statistically significant difference in phenotype between the neuropathy and no neuropathy study arms, CYP3A5 (p = 0.075) SLCO1B1 (p = 0.106), ABCB1 (p = 0.902). Conclusions: The findings of our study indicate that having pharmacogenetics changes in the genes, ABCB1, CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and SLCO1B1 did not influence the patients experience with peripheral sensory neuropathy.

A multicenter survey of temporal changes in chemotherapy-induced hair loss in breast cancer patients.

PurposeMany breast cancer patients suffer from chemotherapy-induced hair loss. Accurate information about temporal changes in chemotherapy-induced hair loss is important for supporting patients scheduled to receive chemotherapy, because it helps them to prepare. However, accurate information, on issues such as the frequency of hair loss after chemotherapy, when regrowth starts, the condition of regrown hair, and the frequency of incomplete hair regrowth, is lacking. This study aimed to clarify the long-term temporal changes in chemotherapy-induced hair loss using patient-reported outcomes for chemotherapy-induced hair loss.MethodsWe conducted a multicenter, cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Disease-free patients who had completed adjuvant chemotherapy consisting of anthracycline and/or taxanes for breast cancer within the prior 5 years were enrolled from 47 hospitals and clinics in Japan. Descriptive statistics were obtained in this study. The study is reported according to the STROBE criteria.ResultsThe response rate was 81.5% (1511/1853), yielding 1478 questionnaires. Hair loss occurred in 99.9% of patients. The mean time from chemotherapy until hair loss was 18.0 days. Regrowth of scalp hair occurred in 98% of patients. The mean time from the completion of chemotherapy to the beginning of regrowth was 3.3 months. Two years after chemotherapy completion, the scalp-hair recovery rate was <30% in approximately 4% of patients, and this rate showed no improvement 5 years after chemotherapy. Eighty-four percent of the patients initially used wigs, decreasing to 47% by 1 year after chemotherapy and 15.2% after 2 years. The mean period of wig use was 12.5 months. However, a few patients were still using wigs 5 years after completing chemotherapy.ConclusionsOur survey focused on chemotherapy-induced hair loss in breast cancer patients. We believe these results to be useful for patients scheduled to receive chemotherapy.

SK3 Gene Polymorphism Is Associated with Taxane Neurotoxicity and Cell Calcium Homeostasis.

Purpose: Taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy is a common side effect induced by anticancer agents, and no drug capable of preventing its occurrence or ameliorating its long-term course has been identified. The physiology of taxane neuropathy is not clear, and diverse mechanisms have been suggested, with ion channels regulating Ca2+ homeostasis appearing good candidates. The calcium-activated potassium channel SK3 is encoded by the KCNN3 gene, which is characterized by a length polymorphism due to variable number of CAG repeats.Experimental Design: To study the influence of the polymorphism of CAG motif repeat of KCNN3 on the development of taxane-induced neuropathy, we evaluated 176 patients treated with taxanes for breast cancer. In parallel, we measured Ca2+ entry using Fura2-AM dye in HEK cells expressing short versus long CAG alleles of KCNN3 Results: In the current study, we report that in the presence of docetaxel, Ca2+ entry was significantly increased in cells expressing short versus long CAG alleles of SK3 and that a SK3-lipid blocker inhibits this effect. We found that patients carrying a short KCNN3 allele exhibited significantly increased incidence of taxane neuropathy compared with those carrying longer alleles.Conclusions: The clinical implication of these findings is that KCNN3 polymorphism may increase patient susceptibility to taxane neurotoxicity and that the use of SK3 blockers during taxanes' administration may represent an interesting approach for the prevention of this neurotoxicity. Clin Cancer Res; 24(21); 5313-20. ©2018 AACR.

Acupuncture for the Treatment of Taxane-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Breast Cancer Patients: A Pilot Trial.

Objectives Some chemotherapy drugs can damage the nerves and cause peripheral neuropathy which is accompanied by severe neuropathic pain or gait impairment. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and the safety of acupuncture for the treatment of peripheral neuropathy following chemotherapy in Korean breast cancer patients. Design This study was a prospective single-arm observational study using before and after measurements in breast cancer patients presenting with taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy. Settings/Location This study was performed at East-West Medical Center at Daegu Catholic University Hospital, Daegu, South Korea. Interventions Acupuncture was administered 3 times a week for 4 consecutive weeks, for 25 ± 5 minutes at each session. Outcome Measures The primary outcome measure was severity of CIPN using the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI) assessed by a self-administered questionnaire and Nerve Conduction Study (NCS) of extremities. The secondary outcome measure was quality of life (QoL) assessed by a self-administered questionnaire using the 36-Item Short From Health Survey (SF-36). Results Acupuncture significantly reduced the severity of CIPN assessed by NPSI score. Four weeks after the last treatment, the symptoms were not aggravated. According to NCS, 42.9% of participants showed improvement of sensory neuropathy. At the end of the treatment, SF-36 scores were significantly increased for variables including physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health problems, social functioning, and general health perceptions compared to those of baseline measurement. Conclusions Acupuncture improved symptoms of CIPN and QoL in Korean women suffering from peripheral neuropathy after chemotherapy using taxane for breast cancer. The effects of acupuncture lasted for at least 1 month after the treatment.

Treatment-Related AML Patients Previously Treated with Taxanes for Breast Cancer Have Similar Outcomes As De Novo AML

AbstractAbstract 3555 Background:Although treatment-related acute myeloid leukemia (tr-AML) has been identified as an independent marker of poor prognosis, it is important to determine how characteristics of the patient, primary malignancy, or treatment regimen affect the development and outcome of tr-AML. Taxane therapy has become essential in the management of breast cancer in light of its favorable effect on survival in short term studies. However, clinical trials fail to capture acute leukemias related to recently introduced agents since development of tr-AML occurs years after chemotherapy. Aim:To examine the effect of taxane therapy on clinical outcome of patients who were treated for breast cancer and subsequently developed tr-AML. Methods:This retrospective chart review considers patients diagnosed with AML at Mayo Clinic between 1990 and 2011. Patients were included if they had previously received chemotherapy for breast cancer, or if they had never received any chemotherapy. Demographic data, previous diagnosis and treatment regimen, CBC at diagnosis, pathology and cytogenetic information, therapy used, and response were collected for each patient. IRB approval was obtained. Comparison between two groups was done using t-test; survival estimates using Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed with software JMP 9. Results:A total of 88 adult females with AML were identified. Median age at AML diagnosis was 58 years (range 19–86). Median hemoglobin was 8.9 g/dL (4–14.5), white blood cell count (WBC) 9.7 x109/L (0.6–237), platelets 67 x109/L (1–361), peripheral blood (PB) blasts 13%, bone marrow blasts (BM) 44%, and BM cellularity 90%. Of the 88 patients, 23 (26%) had previously received treatment for breast cancer (tr-AML), the remainder had de novo AML. Taxanes were included in the initial treatment for breast cancer in 14 (61%, median age 57, group 1), compared to 9 (39%) patients with no history of taxane exposure (median age 58, group 2). Median hemoglobin was 9.7 g/dL, WBC 4.5×109/L, platelets 72×109/L, PB blasts 2%, BM blasts 40% in group 1, compared to 8.3, 7.1, 50, 28%, 47%, respectively, in group 2. Cytogenetic analysis of group 1 showed diploidy in 8%, complex karyotypes in 8%, and chromosome 11 abnormalities in 38%, compared to 50%, 0%, 33%, respectively, in group 2. In group 1, 14% had good risk cytogenetics, 57% had intermediate risk, and 29% had poor risk, compared to 17%, 83%, and 0%, respectively, in group 2. Cytogenetic analysis of de novo AML showed diploidy in 71%, complex karyotypes in 14%, and chromosome 11 abnormalities in 0%. Complete remission (CR) was achieved in 79% of group 1 and 83% of group 2 (p 0.8). Differences in survival of group 1 (375 days) and group 2 (222 days) did not reach statistical significance (p 0.12). Median survival was 584 days for patients with de novo AML, 375 days in group 1 (p 0.47), and 222 days in group 2 (p<0.001). Conclusion:In agreement with previous reports, we found that tr-AML is a poor prognostic factor overall (p 0.04). However, patients with a history of breast cancer who had been treated with taxanes as a part of their initial chemotherapy regimen demonstrated similar survival as patients with de novo AML (p 0.47). Tr-AML patients only did significantly worse than patients with de novo AML if they had never received taxanes as part of their breast cancer therapy (p<0.001). [Display omitted] Blue = de novo AML; Red = tr-AML, no taxane exposurep = 0.0009 [Display omitted] Blue = de novo AML; Red = tr-AML with taxane exposurep = 0.479 Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Adjuvant Taxanes in Breast Cancer: A Critical Re-appraisal

Purpose: Several studies have reported a positive impact for taxanes in adjuvant breast cancer (BC) treatment in terms of reduced recurrence and mortality. However the impact of the magnitude on overall survival (OS) remains partially controversial. Methods: We examined the impact of taxane-containing adjuvant therapy for patients with early BC on OS, based on the number of deaths and on the calculated number of patients who need to be treated with taxanes to avoid one death (NNT). We classified patients in three different groups according to whether taxanes were administered concurrently or sequentially, and whether all treatment arms had the same or different duration. Results: 1) Taxanes in combination therapy: 8258 patients (4373 with taxanes and 3885 without taxanes), with 723 OS events. Overall survival for taxane-treated patients was 92.7% versus 89.6% for patients not receiving taxanes. NNT was 33. 2) Sequential treatment of unequal duration in the treatment arms: 14,228 patients (7970 with taxanes and 6256 without). Overall survival in taxane-treated patients was 86% compared with 83.2% for patients not receiving taxanes. NNT was 44. 3) Sequential treatment and similar duration in treatment arms: 9511 women (5093 with taxanes and 4418 without). Overall survival in patients treated with taxanes was 87% versus 85% in patients not receiving taxanes. NNT was 50. When the results of all these trials were considered together, the NNT stands at 43 patients. Conclusion: Taxanes afford a modest increase in overall survival in BC patients regardless of how they are given. Translational trials may well help to improve patient selection in the future.

Preliminary results of a phase II study of liposomal cisplatin-vinorelbine combination as first-line treatment in HER2/neu negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC)

1068 Background: The frequent use of anthracyclines and taxanes in breast cancer's adjuvant setting has lead to drug resistance and cardiac toxicity. This has raised the need for new agents in the metastatic setting. Cisplatin-vinorelbine combination recently showed interesting results with an overall response rate of 64%. Nevertheless, the use of cisplatin was limited by the frequently induced nausea, vomiting, and nephrotoxicity. Liposomal cisplatin (Lipoplatin) is a nontoxic alternative agent to cisplatin. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of liposomal cisplatin-vinorelbine combination in first line MBC patients (pts). Methods: From August 2007 to October 2008, 30 of 35 programmed pts with MBC and no prior treatment for their metastatic disease, PS 0–2, HER2/neu negative, and at least one measurable lesion, were enrolled. Of these 30 recruited pts, 26 with available data were analyzed. Treatment included I.V. vinorelbine 30 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, and liposomal cisplatin 120 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15. Cycles were repeated every 3 weeks for a total of 6 cycles. Primary objectives: objective response rate, time to treatment failure (TTF), and time to progression (TTP). Secondary objectives: overall survival and treatment-related toxicity. Results: The median age was 49 years (29–74). 69% of pts had visceral metastases. 35% had one metastatic site, 46% had 2, 19% had 3 or more. A total of 120 cycles were administered with a median number of 6 per patient. At the time of the analysis 22 pts were evaluable for response. An objective tumor response was observed in 11 pts (50%) and complete response in 1 patient (4.5%). Ten (45.5%) pts had stable disease. The median TTF and TTP were 5 and 8 months respectively. All pts (26) were evaluable for toxicity. The majority of adverse events were mild to moderate. No WHO grade 3–4 nephrotoxicity or neuropathy was noted. Grade 3–4 nausea/vomiting was observed in 3 pts (11.5%). Three pts (11.5%) had grade 3 anemia and 18 pts (69.2%) had grade 3–4 neutropenia. Three pts (11.5%) developed febrile neutropenia with no secondary mortality. Conclusions: The new combination of liposomal cisplatin and vinorelbine shows promising activity and good tolerance as first line treatment for HER2/neu negative MBC. Pts’ enrollment is ongoing. Updated results will be presented at the meeting. [Table: see text]

Lapatax: a phase I study of neoadjuvant lapatinib combined with docetaxel in Her2/neu overexpressing breast cancer (BC). EORTC protocol 10054.

Abstract Abstract #5112 Background: Lapatinib (L) has been shown to be an effective anti-HER2 therapy in advanced breast cancer, and is under study as an adjuvant therapy in the ALTTO and TEACH studies. Whilst there are ongoing neoadjuvant studies with the combination of Lapatinib and paclitaxel, there are none with docetaxel (D), considered by many to be the most active taxane in breast cancer, mainly due to the limited data available on the safety and efficacy of this combination. Hence there is a need for this dose-finding study which is being conducted as a prelude to a randomized phase II trial.&amp;#x2028; Objective: The objectives are to establish the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), to characterize Dose limiting toxicity (DLT) and to define the recommended dose for phase II.&amp;#x2028; Patients and Methods: Female patients (pts) with locally advanced, inflammatory or large operable BC are treated with escalating doses of L from 1000 to 1250 mg/d, administered orally once daily continuously in combination with D given every 21 days at dose ranges of 75 to 100 mg/m² for 4 cycles. At least three pts are treated at each dose level (DL). DLT is defined during cycle 1: any grade 3-4 non hematological toxicity, ANC&amp;lt;0.5 G/L lasting for 7days or more, Febrile neutopenia or thrombocytopenia &amp;lt;25 G/L. Growth factors are given only in case of clinical symptoms. Core biopsies are mandatory at baseline and after cycle 4. Pharmacokinetic samples are collected on day 1 of cycles 1 and 2.&amp;#x2028; Results: As of June 10, 10 pts with a median age of 56 years (range 17-64) were enrolled and 3 DLs (DL 3: L 1000 mg/day, D: 85 mg/m²) have been fully investigated. No pt had a DLT during cycle 1. The toxicity profile for 30 documented cycles is summarized in this table.&amp;#x2028; &amp;#x2028; The 4th cycles LVEF has been documented in 4 patients, one of whom had a drop by 16% to a value of 55%.&amp;#x2028; Conclusions: The toxicity of docetaxel-lapatinib during the first 3 dose levels is excellent. Final toxicity data and PK results of this phase 1 will be presented at the meeting. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 5112.

Three-year disease-free survival (DFS) as surrogate end-point for predicting five-year overall survival (OS) benefit in adjuvant taxane-based chemotherapy for breast cancer (BC): Analysis of 10 randomized clinical trials (RCTs)

584 Background: The issue regarding the eventual correlation between DFS at earlier follow-up (i.e. 3-yrs) with 5-yrs OS has not actually been explored in trials addressing the role of taxanes in BC. All RCTs in which patients were randomized to receive a standard or a taxane-based regimen for early BC were analyzed to evaluate this topic. Methods: All phase III trials with at least 60 month follow-up were considered eligible. The correlation has been explored according to a linear regression model considering both each single outcome pair (DFS/OS) for all arms (extracted by curves), their differences, and each outcome Hazard Ratio (HR) or calculated Relative Risk (RRs), following 2 steps: 1) correlation between 5-yrs DFS and OS (to confirm the evidence); 2) correlation between 3-yrs DFS and 5-yrs OS (predictive role). The correlation was estimated according to Pearson (r) and R2 coefficients (parametric) and Spearman (Rho) coefficient (non- parametric). A model to calculate the target sample size to determine 5-yrs OS benefit of 3%, 5% and 7%, respectively, was calculated as well. Results: Ten RCTs (17,067 patients) with available data for outcomes were gathered. For 5-yrs DFS/OS, a linear correlation was found between rates (r=0.74, R2=0.55; p&lt;0.0001; Rho=0.83; p&lt;0.0001), and HRs (r=0.90, R2=0.81; p&lt;0.0001; Rho=0.91; p&lt;0.0001). Three-yrs DFS correlates with 5-yrs OS, with both rates (r=0.81, R2=0.66; p&lt;0.0001; Rho=0.92; p&lt;0.0001), and RRs (r=0.84, R2=0.71; p=0.002; Rho=0.85; p=0.002). Three-yrs DFS and 5-yrs OS absolute differences strongly correlate (r=0.86, R2=0.74; p=0.001; Rho=0.84; p=0.002). The sample size model (on the basis of the r-coefficient=0.81), calculates 2,733, 863, and 389 pts to improve 3-yrs DFS of 4%, 7% and 10%, which means to improve 5-yrs OS of 3.2%, 5.7% and 8.1%, respectively. Conclusions: By these data, 3-yrs DFS is a reliable surrogate end-point for OS when testing new drugs in early BC, and is able to predict a late survival benefit. Thanks to the smaller patient sample size, RCTs with this design will provide early results in a shorter time period, allowing a faster data transfer to clinical practice. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

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.

Chemotherapy with Taxanes in Breast Cancer During Pregnancy: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Two patients with breast cancer received docetaxel-containing chemotherapy as adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy during pregnancy. The first pregnant patient began neoadjuvant therapy with doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide at 14 weeks of gestation. After 4 cycles of doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide and surgery, she received adjuvant docetaxel for 4 cycles. The second patient began neoadjvuant therapy with doxorubicin/docetaxel at 14 weeks of gestation and received 6 cycles. The fetus of the first patient had hydrocephalus on ultrasound at 17 weeks of gestation (before docetaxel therapy) that persisted on serial follow-up ultrasounds and spontaneously regressed over several months after delivery. No fetal malformations were detected in the second fetus. These 2 cases add to the existing data on the use of taxanes during pregnancy. Although the data are limited with case reports, pregnant patients with cancer can be treated with chemotherapy including taxanes during the second and third trimesters without significant risks to the fetus. Taxanes should not be excluded, if indicated, in pregnant patients with cancer.

How to maximize the efficacy of taxanes in breast cancer

The life-expectancy of women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is closely linked to response to therapy. A significant increase in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) has been demonstrated in women who achieve a complete response. Anthracycline combinations have been proven as highly effective in MBC, and anthracycline regimens plus cyclophosphamide with or without fluorouracil were established as first-line chemotherapy for MBC in the 1990s. Clinical trials have shown that anthracycline-taxane combinations are more effective than anthracyclines or taxanes alone in terms of overall response rates (ORR), PFS and OS in women who have not received prior anthracycline chemotherapy. The use of anthracycline-based regimens is limited, however, by the widespread use of anthracycline adjuvant therapy and the development of anthracycline-resistance. Platinum-taxane combinations have similar efficacy to anthracycline-based regimens and are well-tolerated by patients. Carboplatin combined with paclitaxel or docetaxel is more effective than carboplatin or taxanes alone, with ORR of 53-62%. Taxane combinations with gemcitabine or capecitabine are also more effective than docetaxel, paclitaxel, capecitabine or gemcitabine administered alone. The efficacy of docetaxel and paclitaxel can be increased, and drug-related toxicity decreased, by adapting dose-dense schedules of drug administration. The addition of trastuzumab to taxane-based chemotherapy increases the efficacy of taxane-based regimens in women with HER2-positive MBC.

Combining the Anti-HER2 Antibody Trastuzumab with Taxanes in Breast Cancer: Results and Trial Considerations

Overexpression of the p185/HER2 protein is seen in 20%–25% of primary breast cancers and is associated with poor prognosis. Recent phase II and III clinical trials demonstrate that trastuzumab is active against breast tumors, both as a single agent and in combination with chemotherapy. In patients with HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer, use of trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy is associated with a 20% reduction in relative risk of death and an increase in median survival from 20.3 to 25.1 months compared to chemotherapy alone. Side effects include fever and chills and an unexpected increase in doxorubicin/trastuzumab-associated cardiomyopathy. Clinical development is now focused on trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy regimens that do not contain an anthracycline. Trastuzumab in combination with docetaxel is synergistic in vitro. Data from ongoing clinical trials are consistent with this finding. Preliminary data from 3 phase II studies suggest a 44%–63% response rate when the combination is used first or second line in HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer. The combination of docetaxel with trastuzumab is well tolerated and has not been associated with significant cardiotoxicity. Given in vitro evidence that platinum salts act synergistically with trastuzumab and docetaxel, and phase II data suggesting clinical efficacy and good tolerability, the combination of platinum salt plus trastuzumab and docetaxel is now being assessed in adjuvant trials.