Evaluation of endocrine therapy and patients preferences in early breast cancer: results of Elena study.

PURPOSE: The development of the adjuvant therapy requires that clinicians and patients should discuss the magnitude of benefit of treatment for individual patient, estimating the pros and cons and the personal preferences. The aim of the present study was to determine the preferences of women treated with adjuvant hormonal therapy (HT) for breast cancer. METHODS: The analyses were conducted into three different groups of early breast cancer patients to evaluate the survival benefit needed to make treatment worthwhile before starting HT (A), after a few months from the beginning (B) and after several years of HT (C). The questionnaires, showing hypothetical scenarios based on potential survival times and rates without HT, were used to determine the lowest gains women judged necessary to make the treatment worthwhile. RESULTS: A total of 452 patients were included in the study: 149 in group A, 150 in group B and 153 in group C. In group C, 65% of patients were receiving HT with aromatase inhibitors (with or without a LHRH analogue). In the groups A, B, C 8%, 20% and 26%, respectively, received adjuvant chemotherapy. Overall, 355 women (79%) had children. The responses were quite similar between the three groups. A median gain of 10 years was judged necessary to make adjuvant HT worthwhile based on the hypothetical scenario of untreated mean survival time of 5 and 15 years. Median gain of 20% more women surviving was judged necessary to make adjuvant HT worthwhile based on an untreated 5-year survival rate expectation of 60%. Cognitive dysfunction was considered the side effect least compatible with the continuation of treatment in all three groups. CONCLUSIONS: This is a large study of patient preferences on HT. Compared with other studies with similar design, the patients included in the present study required larger benefits to make adjuvant therapy worthwhile.

Prognosis in women with small (T1mic,T1a,T1b) node-negative operable breast cancer by immunohistochemically selected subtypes.

Knowledge is limited about prognostic significance of breast cancer subtypes among women with small invasive node-negative breast tumours. We explored patterns of recurrence in 1691 women with pT1mic/T1a/T1b, pN0 and M0 breast cancer according to four immunohistochemically defined tumour subtypes: (i) Luminal A (ER-positive, PgR-positive, HER2-negative and Ki-67 < 14%); (ii) Luminal B (ER-positive and/or PgR-positive, HER2-positive and/or Ki-67 ≥ 14%); (iii) HER2-positive, both endocrine receptors absent; and (iv) Triple Negative. At multivariate analysis, women with the Triple Negative breast cancer subtype had an increased risk of loco-regional relapse (LRR) (Hazards Ratio (HR) 3.58; 95%CI: 1.40-9.13) and breast cancer related events (HR 2.18; 95%CI: 1.04-4.57). Overall, Luminal B subtype was not associated with a statistically significant increased risk of recurrence compared with Luminal A, while patients with Luminal B subtype tumours overexpressing HER2 had a 2 fold risk of reduced breast cancer related survival (BCS), but not an increased risk of LRR and distant metastases. Women with HER2 breast cancer subtype had a statistically significant increased risk of LRR (HR 4.53; 95%CI: 1.56-13.1), distant metastases and reduced BCS (HR 3.22; 95%CI: 1.44-7.18) and overall survival (HR 2.87; 95%CI: 1.05-7.89) when compared with the Luminal A subtype, at multivariate analysis. In conclusion, women with small size, node-negative, breast cancer are at higher risk of relapse if with HER2-positive endocrine receptor absent or Triple Negative disease.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of post-progression outcomes in ER+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer after CDK4/6 inhibitors within randomized clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors and endocrine therapy (ET) deeply transformed the treatment landscape of hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced breast cancer. Randomized clinical trials suggest that second progression-free survival (PFS2) was not compromised and time to subsequent chemotherapy (TTC) may be delayed. We carried out a meta-analysis to assess the benefit on PFS2 and on delaying the TTC. METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature search of randomized clinical trials with CDK4/6 inhibitors and ET reporting PFS2 or TTC of HR+/HER2- pre- or postmenopausal metastatic breast cancer. We also reviewed abstracts and presentations from all major conference proceedings. We calculated the pooled hazard ratios (HR) for PFS2 and TTC using random-effects models with 95% confidence intervals (CI). I2 was used to quantify heterogeneity between results of the studies. RESULTS: Eight studies (MONALEESA-2/3/7, MONARCH-2/3, PALOMA-1/2/3) were included in this analysis (N = 4580 patients). PFS2 benefit was observed in patients who received CDK4/6 inhibitors plus ET (pooled HR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.62-0.74, I2 = 0%) and also a delay in subsequent TTC (pooled HR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.60-0.71, I2 = 0%). A benefit in terms of PFS (pooled HR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.51-0.59, I2 = 0%) and overall survival (pooled HR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.69-0.84, I2 = 0%) was also observed. CONCLUSIONS: CDK4/6 inhibitors plus ET compared with ET alone improve PFS2 and TTC. The delay of chemotherapy may postpone the start of a more toxic treatment option, delaying related toxicities and potentially maintaining a better quality of life for patients, for a longer time. The benefit in PFS2 may postpone the onset of endocrine resistance and help further validate this treatment approach.

A risk score to predict disease-free survival in patients not achieving a pathological complete remission after preoperative chemotherapy for breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to predict disease-free survival (DFS) in patients who failed to achieve a pathologic complete remission (pCR) after preoperative chemotherapy (PC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from 577 patients treated with PC and operated at the European Institute of Oncology (EIO) were used to develop a nomogram using Cox proportional hazards regression model based on both categorical (pT, positive nodes, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status, vascular invasion) and continuous histological variables (estrogen receptors and Ki-67 expression) at surgery. The nomogram was tested on a second patient cohort (343 patients) treated in other institutions and subsequently operated at the EIO. RESULTS: The nomogram for DFS based on both categorical and continuous variables had good discrimination in the training and the validation sets (concordance indices 0.73, 0.67). CONCLUSION: The use of a nomogram based on the degree of selected histopathological variables can predict DFS and might help in the adjuvant therapeutic algorithm design.

Expression of ER, PgR, HER1, HER2, and response: a study of preoperative chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: To identify the role of estrogen (ER), progesterone (PgR), epidermal growth factor 1 (HER1), and HER2 receptors in predicting response to preoperative chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the pretreatment biopsies of 485 patients with locally advanced breast cancer (cT2-T4, N0-2, M0) treated with preoperative chemotherapy. The incidence of pathological complete remission (pCR) and outcome were assessed with respect to clinical and pathological findings including ER/PgR status (absent versus expressed), HER1 (absent versus expressed) and HER2 (overexpressed versus none) expression. RESULTS: Patients with ER/PgR-absent tumors were 12.0 times [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.93-29.28] more likely to achieve a pCR (P < 0.0001). Predictors of disease-free survival (DFS) at the univariate analysis included HER1 [hazards ratio (HR) 1.6, 95% CI 1.04-2.32, P = 0.03] and HER2 (HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.08-2.38, P = 0.02) expression. A statistically significant difference in DFS was confirmed at the multivariate analysis for patients with ER/PgR-absent disease (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.41-2.99, P = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: The pCR rate is higher and outcome worse for patients with ER/PgR-absent tumors. HER1 and HER2 expression may have a prognostic role in locally advanced breast cancer and warrant further studies.

Antitumour and biological effects of letrozole and GnRH analogue as primary therapy in premenopausal women with ER and PgR positive locally advanced operable breast cancer.

Preoperative endocrine therapy is effective in postmenopausal patients with breast cancers expressing oestrogen receptor. We investigated the activity of primary therapy with letrozole in combination with GnRH analogue in premenopausal women with T2-T4 N0-N2 breast cancer, whose tumours expressed oestrogen and progesterone receptors. We measured the expression of molecular factors involved in responsiveness to endocrine agents including ERalpha, EGFR, HER2, MAP kinases (and phosphorylated forms) ER-beta1, both at initial biopsy and at the time of surgery. Thirty-five patients were included and 32 patients were evaluable for response. Sixteen patients (50%, 95% CI 32-68%) obtained a partial response, 16 patients were stable. One patient showed pathological complete response (3%, 95% CI 0-16%). Response was significantly associated with younger age (P<0.05) and a longer duration of treatment (P<0.05). Treatment significantly decreased ERalpha-p-Ser(118) and upregulated ER-beta1, independently of response. No or negligible overexpression of EGFR was observed at baseline or after treatment in this population. Preoperative letrozole and GnRH analogue are effective in premenopausal women. A biological response in terms of downregulation of phosphorylated ERalpha was observed in all patients. Future investigations might focus on treatments of longer duration.

CA15-3 and alkaline phosphatase as predictors for breast cancer recurrence: a combined analysis of seven International Breast Cancer Study Group trials.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the ability of CA15-3 and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) to predict breast cancer recurrence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from seven International Breast Cancer Study Group trials were combined. The primary end point was relapse-free survival (RFS) (time from randomization to first breast cancer recurrence), and analyses included 3953 patients with one or more CA15-3 and ALP measurement during their RFS period. CA15-3 was considered abnormal if >30 U/ml or >50% higher than the first value recorded; ALP was recorded as normal, abnormal, or equivocal. Cox proportional hazards models with a time-varying indicator for abnormal CA15-3 and/or ALP were utilized. RESULTS: Overall, 784 patients (20%) had a recurrence, before which 274 (35%) had one or more abnormal CA15-3 and 35 (4%) had one or more abnormal ALP. Risk of recurrence increased by 30% for patients with abnormal CA15-3 [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.30; P = 0.0005], and by 4% for those with abnormal ALP (HR = 1.04; P = 0.82). Recurrence risk was greatest for patients with either (HR = 2.40; P < 0.0001) and with both (HR = 4.69; P < 0.0001) biomarkers abnormal. ALP better predicted liver recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: CA15-3 was better able to predict breast cancer recurrence than ALP, but use of both biomarkers together provided a better early indicator of recurrence. Whether routine use of these biomarkers improves overall survival remains an open question.

Expression of apoptosis-related markers and clinical outcome in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

The clinical relevance of bax and bcl-2 protein expression has been investigated in 84 patients with recurrent or metastatic colorectal cancer submitted to a chemotherapy regimen including methotrexate and fluorouracil/leucovorin. Cytoplasmic immunostaining of bax and bcl-2 was present in 65.5% and 38%, respectively, of the tumours. No association was found between bax and bcl-2 or between p53 and bax or bcl-2 protein expression. Moreover, the biomarkers were unrelated to patient and tumour characteristics known to affect the clinical outcome of colorectal cancer patients. In general, the apoptosis-related markers did not appear indicative of short- and long-term clinical response nor of prognosis. Bcl-2-negative lesions were more frequent among patients who reached an objective clinical response, which is in agreement with previously reported data regarding other tumour types. When the interrelationship between p53 and bax expression was examined, a better response rate (40%) was found for patients whose tumours did not express p53 and bax, and a better prognosis (2-year probability of overall survival 75%) for patients with p53-positive and bax-negative tumours. In the present series of patients with advanced colorectal cancer submitted to systemic chemotherapy we did not find a clear association between expression of apoptosis-related markers and clinical outcome, even in the subset of patients in which the apoptotic index as determined by the TUNEL approach was investigated.