Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression predicts response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: In patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression has been demonstrated to predict response to immunotherapy. It is unclear whether PD-L1 expression measured with currently available validated assays can predict chemotherapy response in patients with non-metastatic TNBC. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies to assess the PD-L1 expression as a predictor of response to chemotherapy in non-metastatic TNBC using validated assays. The primary endpoint was pathological complete response (pCR) rate to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Secondary endpoints included the prevalence of PD-L1 expression in non-metastatic TNBC and its impact on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Moreover, RNA sequence data from the TCGA breast cancer cohort was used to define the relationship between PDCD1 expression and response to chemotherapy and prognosis. RESULTS: Nineteen studies were eligible for the meta-analysis with a total of 2403 patients with non-metastatic TNBC disease. The PD-L1-positive cohort had a significantly higher likelihood of achieving pCR with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (pooled odds ratio = 1.95; 95% CI = 1.39-2.73, p < 0.0001). In studies which reported long-term outcomes, PD-L1 positivity was associated with significantly better DFS and OS compared to PD-L1 negative patients (pooled hazard ratio = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.35-0.74, p < 0.0001 and 0.51; 95% CI = 0.27-0.94, p = 0.031, respectively). Transcriptomic data suggested that PD-L1 expression is a surrogate marker for the upregulation of key immune-related genes that mediate response to chemotherapy in TNBC. CONCLUSION: This analysis clearly shows that patients with PD-L1 positive TNBC respond better to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and are associated with better survival outcomes compared to patients with PD-L1 negative tumours. The newly distinct quadruple negative breast cancer (QNBC) subtype should be defined as the BC subtype with the poorest outcome in the non-metastatic setting, highlighting the need for more aggressive therapy approaches.

Full population results from the core phase of CompLEEment-1, a phase 3b study of ribociclib plus letrozole as first-line therapy for advanced breast cancer in an expanded population.

PURPOSE: CompLEEment-1 is a phase 3b trial in an expanded patient population with hormone receptor-positive (HR +), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC), the largest current trial of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors in ABC. METHODS: Patients treated with ≤ 1 line of prior chemotherapy and no prior endocrine therapy for ABC received ribociclib 600 mg/day (3-weeks-on/1-week-off) plus letrozole 2.5 mg/day and additionally monthly goserelin/leuprolide in men and pre-/perimenopausal women. Eligibility criteria allowed inclusion of patients with stable CNS metastases and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 2. Primary objectives were safety and tolerability, and secondary objectives were efficacy and quality of life (QoL). RESULTS: Overall, 3,246 patients were evaluated (median follow-up 25.4 months). Rates of all-grade and grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events (AEs) were 95.2% and 67.5%, respectively. Treatment-related discontinuations due to all grade and grade ≥ 3 AEs occurred in 12.9% and 7.3% of patients, respectively. Rates of all-grade AEs of special interest (AESI) were as follows: neutropenia (74.5%), increased alanine aminotransferase (16.2%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (14.1%), and QTcF prolongation (6.7%); corresponding values for grade ≥ 3 AESI were 57.2%, 7.7%, 5.7%, and 1.0%, respectively. Median time to progression was 27.1 months (95% confidence interval, 25.7 to not reached). Patient QoL was maintained during treatment. CONCLUSION: Safety and efficacy data in this expanded population were consistent with the MONALEESA-2 and MONALEESA-7 trials and support the use of ribociclib plus letrozole in the first-line setting for patients with HR + , HER2- ABC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: linicalTrials.gov NCT02941926.

Personalized treatment in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer: The outlook in 2020.

Compared with other breast cancer subtypes, patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and irrespective to their disease stage, were always recognized to have the worst overall survival data. Although this does not seem different at the present time, yet the last few years have witnessed many breakthrough genomic and molecular findings, that could dramatically improve our understanding of the biological complexity of TNBC. Based on genomic analyses, it was consistently evident that TNBC comprises a heterogeneous group of cancers, which have numerous diverse molecular aberrations. This-in return-has provided a platform for a new generation of clinical trials using many innovative therapies, directed against such novel targets. At the present time, two PARP inhibitors and one anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody (in combination with chemotherapy) have been approved in certain subpopulations of metastatic TNBC (mTNBC) patients, which have finally brought this disease into the era of personalized medicine. In the current review, we will explore the genomic landscape of TNBC, through which many actionable targets were graduated. We will also discuss the results of the key-practice changing-clinical studies, and some upcoming personalized treatment options for patients with mTNBC, that may be clinically adopted in the near future.

Understanding the benefits and challenges of first-line cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 inhibitors in advanced breast cancer among postmenopausal women.

Endocrine therapy (ET) has been regarded for many years as the standard treatment for patients with hormone receptor-positive (ER+), HER2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC) without visceral crisis. However, the efficacy of single-agent ET is constrained by the development of resistance, attributed to alterations in several intracellular signaling pathways, including those related to cell cycle dysregulation. The cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) are principal regulators of cell cycle progression from the G1-phase into the DNA synthesis (S)-phase. In vitro inhibition of CDK4/6 activity has potent antiproliferative properties against luminal breast cancer cell lines, which are enhanced when combined with traditional ET. This has led to a substantial interest in targeting this pathway to overcome endocrine resistance in the clinic. Three selective CDK4/6 inhibitors (palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib) have been approved as first-line therapy in combination with an aromatase inhibitor, or fulvestrant in the case of ribociclib in patients with ER+/HER2- ABC. To date, there is no clue as to which subgroup of patients might benefit most from these combinations. Here, we outline some of the established approaches to overcome endocrine resistance, with special emphasis on the unique mechanism of action of CDK4/6 inhibitors.

Adjuvant Subcutaneous Trastuzumab for HER2-Positive Early Breast Cancer: Subgroup Analyses of Safety and Active Medical Conditions by Body Weight in the SafeHer Phase III Study.

BACKGROUND: This SafeHer subgroup analysis assessed the safety of fixed-dose subcutaneous trastuzumab (H SC) as an adjuvant therapy in HER2-positive early breast cancer (EBC) by body weight. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with HER2-positive EBC not previously treated with anti-HER2 therapy received H SC 600 mg (every 3 weeks for 18 cycles), with neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy or without adjuvant chemotherapy. Adverse events (AEs) were assessed throughout treatment and at final follow-up (28 ±5 days after last treatment). Subgroups were categorized by body weight, Asian origin, and chemotherapy administration. All analyses were descriptive. RESULTS: Of 2,577 patients enrolled, 2,573 received ≥1 dose of study medication and were included in this safety analysis. Median body weight at baseline was 67.0 kg (range 33.6-150.0 kg). Any-grade AEs occurred in 88.7% (2,282/2,573) of the overall population, versus 87.1% (590/677) of the lowest bodyweight quartile (≤59 kg), 90.0% (561/623) of the highest quartile (>77 kg), and 86.5% (327/378) of the Asian population. Grade ≥3 AEs occurred in 23.2% (596/2,573) of the overall population, 17.9% (121/677) of the lowest bodyweight quartile, 26.8% (167/623) of the highest quartile, and 15.3% (58/378) of the Asian population. The highest bodyweight quartile had the highest incidence of medical conditions at baseline (highest quartile, 75.6%; lowest quartile, 56.1%). CONCLUSION: These data support the use of fixed-dose H SC as an adjuvant therapy in HER2-positive EBC and confirm the comparable safety profile of H SC in patients with low body weight or of Asian origin versus the overall population in SafeHer. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01566721. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The safety profile of fixed-dose subcutaneous trastuzumab (H SC) was comparable between patients in the lowest bodyweight subgroup and the overall patient population, and also between patients of Asian origin (of whom a higher proportion often fall within the lower bodyweight quartiles) and the overall population. The safety data from this SafeHer subgroup analysis therefore support the use of fixed-dose H SC 600 mg administered every 3 weeks as an adjuvant therapy for patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer across different bodyweight subgroups and in the Asian patient population.

Combination of metronomic capecitabine and letrozole in metastatic hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative breast cancer: a randomized phase II trial.

First line endocrine therapy is the gold standard for advanced estrogen receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative breast cancer. Adding CDK4/6 inhibitors has improved progression free survival. Metronomic Capecitabine has proven to be safe to combine with endocrine therapy with promising efficacy. We conducted a phase II randomized, open label, single centre clinical trial on patients with metastatic ER positive and HER 2 negative breast cancer. Eligible patients were randomized (1:1) to arm A: metronomic dose of capecitabine (500 mg/m2 BID) combined with letrozole (2.5 mg OD) or arm B: letrozole single agent. The primary endpoint was progression free survival. The study was terminated early due to poor accrual and 60 eligible patients out of the planned 204 were randomized. This clinical trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (MD-127-2019, NCT04571437). Between February 2019 and April 2022, 60 patients were randomized. This is the first report of the study, after a median follow-up of 18.6 months. The median age at diagnosis was 47 years with only 41.7% of patients post-menopausal. Half of our patients had bone-only disease, 45% had visceral metastasis (liver and lung) and 63% presented with endocrine sensitive disease. The estimated median PFS for the whole population was 16.2 months. Median PFS for capecitabine arm was 17.7 months versus 14.6 months for letrozole alone (p = 0.078). Overall response rate was 70% for capecitabine/letrozole arm and 56.6% for letrozole only. Clinical benefit rate was 90% in the capecitabine/letrozole arm versus 73.3% in the letrozole arm. Overall survival data is still immature after this short follow up duration. Adverse event assessment showed acceptable all grade and high grade toxicity profile consistent with the established adverse events of both capecitabine and letrozole. Anaemia (28.3%) and hand & foot syndrome (43.8%) were significantly more common in the capecitabine/letrozole arm. Capecitabine combined with letrozole have showed a trend towards improvement in progression free survival with potential more benefit to certain sub-groups and the combination showed acceptable safety profile consistent with the established known safety profile of both letrozole and capecitabine.

Clinicopathologic Features of Breast Cancer in Egypt-Contemporary Profile and Future Needs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among Egyptian females. No current national cancer database is available in Egypt to provide reliable data on the specific clinicopathologic features of BC in this population. Herein, we investigated the clinical profile of BC among Egyptian women. METHODS: A systematic review of studies on BC published from inception until December 2021 was performed. We explored pooled estimated proportions of different stages of BC at presentation in Egypt and other clinicopathologic features including age, menopausal status, tumor (T) and lymph node (N) stages, and biological subtypes. Data analysis was performed using meta package (R). RESULTS: Twenty-six studies were eligible for our systematic review and meta-analysis, including 31,172 BC cases. In 12 studies, including 15,067 patients with BC, the estimated mean age was 50.46 years (95% CI, 48.7 to 52.1; I2, 99%), with a pooled proportion of premenopausal/perimenopausal women of 57% (95% CI, 50 to 63; I2, 98%). Among 9,738 patients with BC, pooled proportions of stage I, II, III, and IV were 6% (95% CI, 4 to 8; I2, 90%), 37% (95% CI, 31 to 43; I2, 93%), 45% (95% CI, 42 to 49; I2, 78%), and 11% (95% CI, 9 to 15; I2, 87%), respectively. The pooled proportions of patients with T3 and T4 tumors were 21% (95% CI, 14 to 31; I2, 99%) and 8% (95% CI, 5 to 12; I2, 96%), respectively, while those with positive lymph nodes were 70% (95% CI, 59 to 79; I2, 99%). CONCLUSION: Dominance of advanced stage and young age at diagnosis represented the two main features of BC among Egyptian women. Our data may serve to guide the policymakers in Egypt as well as other countries with lower resources to prioritize the diagnostic and therapeutic needs in this context.

The Landscape of BRCA Mutations among Egyptian Women with Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Deleterious germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are associated with a high risk of breast and ovarian cancer. In many developing countries, including Egypt, the prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutations among women with breast cancer (BC) is unknown. AIM: We aimed to determine the prevalence of deleterious germline BRCA mutations in Egyptian patients with breast cancer. METHODS: We report the results of a cohort study of 81 Egyptian patients with breast cancer who were tested for germline BRCA1/2 mutations during routine clinical practice, mostly for their young age of presentation, BC subtype, or presence of family history. In addition, we searched five databases to retrieve studies that reported the prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutation status in Egyptian women with BC. A systematic review of the literature was performed, including prospective and retrospective studies. RESULTS: In our patient cohort study, 12 patients (14.8%) were positive for either BRCA1/2 deleterious mutations. Moreover, 13 (16.1%) patients had a variant of unknown significance (VUS) of BRCA1/2 genes. Twelve studies were eligible for the systematic review, including 610 patients. A total of 19 deleterious germline mutations in BRCA1/2 were identified. The pooled prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutations was 40% (95% confidence interval 1-80%). CONCLUSION: The reported prevalence was highly variable among the small-sized published studies that adopted adequate techniques. In our patient cohort, there was a high incidence of VUS in BRCA1/2 genes. Accordingly, there is an actual demand to conduct a prospective well-designed national study to accurately estimate the prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutations among patients with BC in Egypt.

Real-world treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer: results of KINDLE-Egypt cohort.

Background: Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) being highly heterogeneous requires multimodal therapeutic strategies for optimal management. We present findings on treatment patterns and their associated survival outcomes in patients with stage III NSCLC from the Egypt subset of the KINDLE global real-world study conducted across countries from Asia, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Method: Retrospective data from the Egypt subset (21 centers) of adult patients diagnosed with stage III NSCLC between January 2013 and December 2017 were analyzed. Descriptive and inferential statistics summarized treatment modalities, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Results: Of 421 patients enrolled (median age: 59.0 years), 77.9% were males, 53.5% had stage IIIA disease, 60.8% had adenocarcinoma, 78.4% had an unresectable disease, and 81.5% had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ⩽1. Overall, chemotherapy alone (40.4%) was predominantly used in the initial line, whereas definite radiotherapy was used in only 5.0% of patients. In resectable patients, chemotherapy plus surgery (33.8%), surgery alone (20.6%), or other surgery (20.6%) were the top three modalities used in initial line of treatment. Chemotherapy alone was most preferred (48.8%) in unresectable patients, followed by sequential chemoradiotherapy (CRT) (17.6%) and concurrent CRT (9.3%). The overall median PFS was 10.3 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 9.43-12.02], whereas the median OS was 18.5 months (95% CI, 16.46-21.88). Overall, female gender, adenocarcinoma histology, and radical therapy as surgery or CRT predicted significantly longer OS (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: KINDLE-Egypt cohort revealed wide heterogeneities in the treatment patterns of stage III NSCLC. Although deemed resectable, few patients did not undergo surgery, probably due to high smoking rates leading to poor lung function. Lower survival outcomes than other published real-world studies highlight the need for timely approval and availability of novel targeted and immunotherapies to enhance patient outcomes. Trial registration: NCT03725475.

A randomized, phase 2 study comparing pemetrexed plus best supportive care versus best supportive care as maintenance therapy after first-line treatment with pemetrexed and cisplatin for advanced, non-squamous, non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Maintenance therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) aims to extend disease control after first-line chemotherapy with active and well-tolerated agents. The utility of continuation maintenance therapy requires further research. METHODS: This multicenter, randomized, phase 2 study compared continuation maintenance therapy with pemetrexed (500 mg/m2 every 21 days) and best supportive care (BSC) versus BSC alone in patients with advanced, non-squamous NSCLC who had not progressed after 4 cycles of induction chemotherapy with pemetrexed (500 mg/m2) and cisplatin (75 mg/m2). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) from randomization, was analyzed using a Cox model, stratified for the tumor response at the end of induction therapy, at a one-sided alpha of 0.2. Secondary endpoints: response and disease control rates, overall survival (OS), one year survival rates, and treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). RESULTS: A total of 106 patients commenced induction therapy, of whom 55 patients were randomized to maintenance pemetrexed/BSC (n = 28) or BSC (n = 27). Although the median PFS time for maintenance phase for both arms was 3.2 months, the one-sided p-value for the PFS HR comparison was less than the prespecified limit of 0.2 (HR = 0.76, two-sided 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.42 to 1.37; one-sided p-value = 0.1815), indicating that PFS was sufficiently long in the pemetrexed/BSC arm to warrant further investigation. Similar PFS results were observed for the overall study period (induction plus maintenance) and when the PFS analysis was adjusted for sex, baseline disease stage, and the ECOG PS prior to randomization. The median OS for the maintenance phase was 12.2 months (95%CI: 5.6 to 20.6) for the pemetrexed/BSC arm and 11.8 months (95% CI: 6.3 to 25.6) for BSC arm. The one-year survival probabilities were similar for both arms for the maintenance phase and the overall study period. Both the induction and continuation maintenance therapies were generally well-tolerated, and similar proportion of patients in each arm experienced at least 1 grade 3/4 TEAE (pemetrexed/BSC, 17.9%; BSC, 18.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Continuation pemetrexed maintenance therapy resulted in promising PFS with an acceptable safety profile in a Middle Eastern population with advanced non-squamous NSCLC and is worthy of further investigation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT00606021.

Systemic treatment of brain metastases in HER2-positive breast cancer: current status and future directions.

In recent years, brain metastases have emerged as a main challenge affecting the morbidity and mortality of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. In the era following trastuzumab, approximately 30% of these patients develop brain metastases. Trastuzumab does not cross the blood-brain barrier, hence its role is limited to controlling extra-CNS metastases. Lapatinib emerged as a potential candidate; however, its use as a single agent was associated with modest responses. Combination with capecitabine was associated with good results, particularly in patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases. In this article, we discuss the role of trastuzumab and lapatinib in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer with brain metastases. We also highlight the complex structure of the blood-brain barrier and elucidate different potential strategies that could be useful in improving drug delivery.

Integrating PARP inhibitors into the management of breast cancer: where are we?

During the last 2 decades, extensive research has focused on the molecular functions of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. This has led to the development of Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi), as effective target therapies, based on their preferential cytotoxicity in tumor cells harboring germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. At the present time, 2 PARPi (Olaparib and Talazoparib) are approved as single agent for the treatment of patients with metastatic HER2-ve breast cancer, who have BRCA germline mutations. The clinical benefit of these agents might be also anticipated in patients harboring germline mutations in some additional genes involved in the process of homologous recombination repair (HRR) other than BRCA1/BRCA2. In this review, we summarize the molecular rational for the therapeutic development of PARPi and the clinical evidence supporting their use as anticancer drugs in breast cancer patients with BRCA1/BRCA2 germline mutations. We also discuss the role of platinum-based chemotherapy and how it compares with PARPi in the management of these patients. We will go through some relevant clinical trials of various combinations of PARPi with cytotoxic or immunotherapeutic agents, which may potentially provide better treatment results, compared to what is already achieved with their use as monotherapy.

Breast-Gynaecological & Immuno-Oncology International Cancer Conference (BGICC) Consensus and Recommendations for the Management of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Background: The management of patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is challenging with several controversies and unmet needs. During the 12th Breast-Gynaecological & Immuno-oncology International Cancer Conference (BGICC) Egypt, 2020, a panel of 35 breast cancer experts from 13 countries voted on consensus guidelines for the clinical management of TNBC. The consensus was subsequently updated based on the most recent data evolved lately. Methods: A consensus conference approach adapted from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) was utilized. The panellists voted anonymously on each question, and a consensus was achieved when ≥75% of voters selected an answer. The final consensus was later circulated to the panellists for critical revision of important intellectual content. Results and conclusion: These recommendations represent the available clinical evidence and expert opinion when evidence is scarce. The percentage of the consensus votes, levels of evidence and grades of recommendation are presented for each statement. The consensus covered all the aspects of TNBC management starting from defining TNBC to the management of metastatic disease and highlighted the rapidly evolving landscape in this field. Consensus was reached in 70% of the statements (35/50). In addition, areas of warranted research were identified to guide future prospective clinical trials.

Adjuvant ovarian function suppression and tamoxifen in premenopausal breast cancer patients: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The benefit of adding ovarian function suppression (OFS) to tamoxifen in the adjuvant treatment of premenopausal women with breast cancer is uncertain. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that addressed this question. METHODS: Systematic search of PubMed, the web of science, and the meeting library of ASCO, ESMO, and SABCS was conducted using the following keywords: tamoxifen, ovarian suppression, and breast cancer. Eligible studies were those recruiting patients with breast cancer randomized to receive adjuvant tamoxifen and OFS versus tamoxifen alone. Pooled hazard ratio [HR]) for disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the fixed effect model. RESULTS: We searched a total of 845 records, of which 5 clinical trials, including 7557 patients, were eligible for our analysis. Adding OFS to tamoxifen improved DFS with pooled HR: 0.88 (95% CI: 0.80-0.96, P= 0.004) and OS (pooled HR: 0.87 {95% CI: 0.77-0.98, P= 0.02}) compared to tamoxifen alone. The benefit of the addition of OFS to tamoxifen was mostly observed in patients younger than 40 years where the pooled HRs of DFS was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.63-0.91; P= 0.004), and in those who received adjuvant chemotherapy with pooled HRs of DFS 0.80 (95% CI: 0.65-0.99, P= 0.042). There was an increase in the incidence of all grade musculoskeletal symptoms and high-grade hot flushes with the addition of OFS with risk ratios of 1.12 (95% CI: 1.07-1.17, P< 0.001) and 2.14 (95% CI: 1.01-4.51, P= 0.047) respectively. CONCLUSION: Our analysis indicates that the addition of OFS to tamoxifen improves DFS and OS. This strategy could be considered in patients in which tamoxifen alone is not deemed sufficient or in case of poor tolerance to OFS with aromatase inhibitors.

Predicting Brain Metastasis in Breast Cancer Patients: Stage Versus Biology.

BACKGROUND: Brain metastasis (BM) is a life-threatening event in breast cancer patients. Identifying patients at a high risk for BM can help to adopt screening programs and test preventive interventions. We tried to identify the incidence of BM in different stages and subtypes of breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records of 2193 consecutive breast cancer patients who presented between January 1999 and December 2010. We explored the incidence of BM in relation to standard clinicopathological factors, and determined the cumulative risk of BM according to the disease stage and phenotype. RESULTS: Of the 2193 included women, 160 (7.3%) developed BM at a median follow-up of 5.8 years. Age younger than 60 years (P = .015), larger tumors (P = .004), lymph node (LN) positivity (P < .001), high tumor grade (P = .012), and HER2 positivity (P < .001) were associated with higher incidence of BM in the whole population. In patients who presented with locoregional disease, 3 factors independently predicted BM: large tumors (hazard ratio [HR], 3.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.54-8.38; P = .003), axillary LN metastasis (HR, 4.03; 95% CI, 1.91-8.52; P < .001), and HER2 positivity (HR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.0-3.41; P = .049). A Brain Relapse Index was formulated using those 3 factors, with 5-year cumulative incidence of BM of 19.2% in those having the 2 or 3 risk factors versus 2.5% in those with no or 1 risk factor (P < .001). In metastatic patients, 3 factors were associated with higher risk of BM: HER2 positivity (P = .007), shorter relapse-free interval (P < .001), and lung metastasis (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Disease stage and biological subtypes predict the risk for BM and subsequent treatment outcome.

Sorafenib plus tegafur-uracil (UFT) versus sorafenib as first line systemic treatment for patients with advanced stage HCC: a Phase II trial (ESLC01 study).

BACKGROUND: Phase II trials found that tegafur-uracil (UFT) is an effective drug in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), while preclinical data suggested that its combination with sorafenib may have a promising activity. Our Phase II randomized trial aimed to evaluate efficacy and tolerability of sorafenib plus UFT vs sorafenib in advanced HCC. METHODS: Patients with advanced HCC, with no prior systemic therapy, were randomized to receive either UFT at 125 mg/m2 twice daily for 4 out of 5 weeks plus sorafenib at 400 mg twice daily (arm 1) or single agent sorafenib at 400 mg twice daily (arm 2). Primary end point was time to progression (TTP). RESULTS: Between March 2012 and March 2014, 76 eligible patients - out of 143 preplanned - were randomized. The study was terminated early because of futility. This is the final analysis of the study, after a median follow-up of 10.2 months and death of 86% of randomized patients (n=64). Median TTP was 7.5 months and 8.2 months in arms 1 and 2 respectively (HR: 1.07; 95% CI, 0.52-2.22; P=0.855), while the median overall survival was 8.2 months and 10.5 months respectively (HR: 1.58; 95% CI: 0.90-2.76, P=0.112). Nine patients (25%) in the combination arm discontinued treatment because of toxicity vs eight patients (21.1%) in the sorafenib monotherapy arm (P=0.899). CONCLUSION: In patients with advanced HCC, adding UFT to sorafenib is feasible, but it did not improve efficacy outcome over sorafenib monotherapy.

TNMF versus TNM in staging of colorectal cancer.

AIM: TNM staging and histological grading of rectal cancer has undergone no or minimal changes during the past 20 years despite their major impact on planning, reporting and outcome of the disease. The addition of category 'F' to the 'TNM' staging of colorectal cancer, which becomes TNMF will accommodate the expanding list of risk factors that may affect the management and thus avoid squeezing them into the TNM categories. METHODS: Reporting of the following risk factors was traced in 730 (664 retrospective and 66 prospective) cases of colorectal cancer: age, Tumor location, preoperative CEA, intraoperative tumor perforation and blood transfusion, quality of TME, tumor grade, non nodal T.Ds, Lymphovascular invasion, lymph node ratio, circumferential tumor margins, apical lymph nodes, infiltrating or pushing and K-ras gene mutation. RESULTS: The reporting of most risk factors was inadequate; also there is marked improvement in reporting in the prospective cases in preoperative CEA, intra operative blood transfusion and tumor perforation, quality of TME, tumor grade and non-nodal T.Ds (P-value <0.0001). CONCLUSION: The addition of category 'F' to the TNM staging system to become TNMF may avoid ignoring already established risk factors due to our inability to accommodate them in the inhospitable TNM categories.

Analysis of PI3K/mTOR Pathway Biomarkers and Their Prognostic Value in Women with Hormone Receptor-Positive, HER2-Negative Early Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway alterations have been shown to play significant roles in the development, progression, and metastatic spread of breast cancer. Furthermore, they have been implicated in the process of drug resistance, especially endocrinal therapies. In this study, we aimed to define the correlation between the PI3K mutations and the expression of the phosphorylated forms of different downstream molecules in women with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (luminal) early breast cancer treated at Cairo university hospitals. METHODS: Next-generation sequencing was used to detect mutations in the PIK3CA hotspots (in exons 9 and 20). Immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue microarray blocks prepared from samples of 35 Egyptian luminal breast cancer patients in the pathology department of Centre Léon Bérard (CLB). The intensity and the percentage of stained tumor cells were integrated to define high versus low biomarker expression. The cytoplasmic and nuclear stainings were graded separately. Patients were followed for a median of 4.7 years (2.1 to 6.9 years). Correlation was done between PI3K mutations and the immunohistochemistry expression of pAKT, LKB1, p4EBP1, and pS6 ribosomal protein (pS6RP) with the clinicopathologic features and disease free survival (DFS) of the patients. RESULTS: Median age at diagnosis was 51.3 years (range, 25 to 82 years). Tumors were larger than 20 mm in 79.2% of the cases, whereas 57.9% had axillary lymph node deposits. Only 12.3% of the patients had SBR grade I tumors, 50.8% had grade II, and 36.8% had grade III. ERs were negative in 6 patients (17%) after pathology review. Thirty-two cases were assessable for LKB1 and pAKT, 33 for p4EBP1 and pS6RP, and 24 for PI3K mutations. Nuclear LKB1, cytoplasmic LKB1, nuclear pAKT, cytoplasmic pAKT, nuclear p4EBP1, and cytoplasmic pS6RP expression was high in 65.6%, 62.5%, 62.5%, 68.8%, 42.4%, and 57.6%, respectively. PIK3CA mutations were found in 7 patients (29.2%). PI3K mutations were correlated with nuclear localization of pAKT (i.e., decreased cytoplasmic pAKT, P = .04; and increased nuclear pAKT, P = .10). There was a tendency toward an inverse correlation between PI3K mutations and the expression of pS6RP (P = .10) and p4EBP1 (P = .19). Nuclear LKB1 expression was a marker of good prognosis. It was associated with smaller tumors (P = .05), more ER (P = .08) and progesteron receptor (PgR) positivity (P = .002). In the Kaplan Meier (KM) model, patients with high nuclear LKB1 had longer DFS (hazard ratio = 0.36; 95% confidence interval, 0.15-1.10; P = .08). Nuclear pAKT high expression also carried a tendency toward longer DFS (hazard ratio = 0.51; 95% confidence interval, 0.11-1.16; P = .13). The expression of p4EBP1, pS6RP, and the PI3K mutational status did not show any prognostic significance in our cohort. CONCLUSION: Among the studied biomarkers, only nuclear expression of LKB1 and pAKT tended to predict better survival in breast cancer patients. PI3K mutation was correlated with the expression of nuclear pAKT but not pS6RP or p4EBP1.