Prognostic value of HER2 status on circulating tumor cells in advanced-stage breast cancer patients with HER2-negative tumors.

PURPOSE: Discordance between HER2 expression in tumor tissue (tHER2) and HER2 status on circulating tumor cells (cHER2) has been reported. It remains largely underexplored whether patients with tHER2-/cHER2+ can benefit from anti-HER2 targeted therapies. METHODS: cHER2 status was determined in 105 advanced-stage patients with tHER2- breast tumors. Association between cHER2 status and progression-free survival (PFS) was analyzed by univariate and multivariate Cox models and survival differences were compared by Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Compared to the patients with low-risk cHER2 (cHER2+ < 2), those with high-risk cHER2 (cHER2+ ≥ 2) had shorter survival time and an increased risk for disease progression (hazard ratio [HR] 2.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20-3.88, P = 0.010). Among the patients with high-risk cHER2, those who received anti-HER2 targeted therapies had improved PFS compared with those who did not (HR 0.30, 95% CI 0.10-0.92, P = 0.035). In comparison, anti-HER2 targeted therapy did not affect PFS among those with low-risk cHER2 (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.36-1.38, P = 0.306). Similar results were obtained after adjusting covariates. A longitudinal analysis of 67 patients with cHER2 detected during follow-ups found that those whose cHER2 status changed from high-risk at baseline to low-risk at first follow-up exhibited a significantly improved survival compared to those whose cHER2 remained high-risk (median PFS: 11.7 weeks vs. 2.0 weeks, log-rank P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: In advanced-stage breast cancer patients with tHER2- tumors, cHER2 status has the potential to guide the use of anti-HER2 targeted therapy in patients with high-risk cHER2.

Prospective assessment of the prognostic value of circulating tumor cells and their clusters in patients with advanced-stage breast cancer.

The enumeration of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) provides important prognostic values in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Recent studies indicate that individual CTCs form clusters and these CTC-clusters play an important role in tumor metastasis. We aimed to assess whether quantification of CTC-clusters provides additional prognostic value over quantification of individual CTCs alone. In 115 prospectively enrolled advanced-stage (III and IV) breast cancer patients, CTCs and CTC-clusters were counted in 7.5 ml whole blood using the CellSearch system at baseline before first-line therapy. The individual and joint effects of CTC and CTC cluster counts on patients' progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards modeling. Of the 115 patients, 36 (31.3 %) had elevated baseline CTCs (≥5 CTCs/7.5 ml) and 20 (17.4 %) had CTC-clusters (≥2 CTCs/7.5 ml). Patients with elevated CTCs and CTC-clusters both had worse PFS with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.76 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.57-4.86, P log-rank = 0.0005] and 2.83 (1.48-5.39, P log-rank = 0.001), respectively. In joint analysis, compared with patients with <5 CTCs and without CTC-clusters, patients with elevated CTCs but without clusters, and patients with elevated CTCs and with clusters, had an increasing trend of progression risk, with an HR of 2.21 (1.02-4.78) and 3.32 (1.68-6.55), respectively (P log-rank = 0.0006, P trend = 0.0002). The additional prognostic value of CTC-clusters appeared to be more pronounced in patients with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), the most aggressive form of breast cancer with the poorest survival. Baseline counts of both individual CTCs and CTC-clusters were associated with PFS in advanced-stage breast cancer patients. CTC-clusters might provide additional prognostic value compared with CTC enumeration alone, in patients with elevated CTCs.

Impact of Oncotype DX on treatment decisions in ER-positive, node-negative breast cancer with histologic correlation.

Oncotype DX, a gene-expression profiling assay, provides stratification of patients with estrogen-receptor positive, lymph-node-negative early breast cancer into risk groups based on recurrence score, which are associated with distant recurrence and response to chemotherapy. This study aims to determine whether Oncotype DX influences clinicians' treatment decisions, and whether assay results correlate with histologic assessment. Fifty patients with estrogen-receptor positive, node-negative early breast cancer analyzed by Oncotype DX and operated on by two breast surgeons were included. To assess effect on treatment decisions, clinical vignettes were created by retrospective chart review. Physicians were then presented with the clinical vignettes and instructed to make a treatment decisions (i.e., hormone therapy alone versus hormone therapy combined with chemotherapy) both before and after knowledge of the recurrence score. To assess correlation with histologic assessment, a prospective, blinded review of tumor slides was performed by two pathologists. Based on this review, tumors were placed into low, intermediate and high risk groups for comparison with Oncotype DX assay results. Treatment decisions were changed based on Oncotype DX results in 36 and 18% of cases by breast surgeons and medical oncologists, respectively. All tumors categorized as high risk by Oncotype DX were categorized as high risk based on histologic assessment, and 96% of cases categorized as low risk by recurrence score were categorized as low or intermediate risk by histologic assessment. Oncotype DX significantly influences management of estrogen-receptor positive, lymph-node-negative early breast cancer. Further studies are needed to assess association of histologic categorization to assay results.

Genomic Aberrations in Circulating Tumor DNAs from Palbociclib-Treated Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients Reveal a Novel Resistance Mechanism.

Previously undescribed molecular mechanisms of resistance will emerge with the increased use of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors in clinical settings. To identify genomic aberrations in circulating tumor DNA associated with treatment resistance in palbociclib-treated metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients, we collected 35 pre- and post-treatment blood samples from 16 patients with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) MBC, including 9 with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). Circulating cell-free DNAs (cfDNAs) were isolated for sequencing using a targeted panel of 91 genes. Our data showed that FBXW7 and CDK6 were more frequently altered in IBC than in non-IBC, whereas conversely, PIK3CA was more frequently altered in non-IBC than in IBC. The cfDNA samples collected at follow-up harbored more mutations than baseline samples. By analyzing paired samples, we observed a higher percentage of patients with mutations in RB1, CCNE1, FBXW7, EZH2, and ARID1A, but a lower proportion of patients with mutated TSC2 at the post-treatment stage when they developed progression. Moreover, acquisition of CCNE1 mutations or loss of TSC2 mutations after treatment initiation conferred an unfavorable prognosis. These data provide insights into the relevance of novel genomic alterations in cfDNA to palbociclib resistance in MBC patients. Future large-scale prospective studies are warranted to confirm our findings.

Evaluation of a Technology-Based Survivor Care Plan for Breast Cancer Survivors: Pre-Post Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: As of 2016, almost 16 million individuals were cancer survivors, including over 3.5 million survivors of breast cancer. Because cancer survivors are living longer and have unique health care needs, the Institute of Medicine proposed a survivor care plan as a way to alleviate the many medical, emotional, and care coordination problems of survivors. OBJECTIVE: This pilot study for breast cancer survivors was undertaken to: (1) examine self-reported changes in knowledge, confidence, and activation from before receipt to after receipt of a survivor care plan; and (2) describe survivor preferences for, and satisfaction with, a technology-based survivor care plan. METHODS: A single group pretest-posttest design was used to study breast cancer survivors in an academic cancer center and a community cancer center during their medical visit after they completed chemotherapy. The intervention was a technology-based survivor care plan. Measures were taken before, immediately after, and 1 month after receipt of the survivor care plan. RESULTS: A total of 38 breast cancer survivors agreed to participate in the study. Compared to baseline levels before receipt of the survivor care plan, participants reported increased knowledge both immediately after its receipt at the academic center (P<.001) and the community center (P<.001) as well as one month later at the academic center (P=.002) and the community center (P<.001). Participants also reported increased confidence immediately following receipt of the survivor care plan at the academic center (P=.63) and the community center (P=.003) and one month later at both the academic center (P=.63) and the community center (P<.001). Activation was increased from baseline to post-survivor care plan at both the academic center (P=.05) and community center (P<.001) as well as from baseline to 1-month follow-up at the academic center (P=.56) and the community center (P<.001). Overall, community center participants had lower knowledge, confidence, and activation at baseline compared with academic center participants. Overall, 22/38 (58%) participants chose the fully functional electronic survivor care plan. However, 12/23 (52%) in the community center group chose the paper version compared to 4/15 (27%) in the academic center group. Satisfaction with the format (38/38 participants) and the content (37/38 participants) of the survivor care plan was high for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that knowledge, confidence, and activation of survivors were associated with implementation of the survivor care plan. This research agrees with previous research showing that cancer survivors found the technology-based survivor care plan to be acceptable. More research is needed to determine the optimal approach to survivor care planning to ensure that all cancer survivors can benefit from it.

Association of clinical outcomes in metastatic breast cancer patients with circulating tumour cell and circulating cell-free DNA.

BACKGROUND: Both circulating tumour cell (CTC) and total circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) predict cancer patient prognosis. However, no study has explored the prognostic value of the combined use of CTC and ccfDNA. We aimed to investigate individual and joint effects of CTC and ccfDNA on clinical outcomes of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients. METHODS: We collected 227 blood samples from 117 MBC patients. CTCs were enumerated using the CellSearch System. ccfDNAs were quantified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Qubit fluorometer. The individual and joint effects of CTC and ccfDNA levels on patient progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analysed using Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Compared to patients with <5 CTCs, patients with ≥5 CTCs had a 2.58-fold increased risk of progression and 3.63-fold increased risk of death. High level of ccfDNA was associated with a 2.05-fold increased risk of progression and 3.56-fold increased risk of death. These associations remained significant after adjusting for other important clinical covariates and CTC/ccfDNA levels. CTC and ccfDNA levels had a joint effect on patient outcomes. Compared to patients with low levels of both CTC and ccfDNA, those with high levels of both markers exhibited a >17-fold increased death risk (P < 0.001). Moreover, longitudinal analysis of 132 samples from 22 patients suggested that the inconsistency between CTC level and outcome in some patients could possibly be explained by ccfDNA level. CONCLUSIONS: CTC and total ccfDNA levels were individually and jointly associated with PFS and OS in MBC patients.

Clinical-pathological features and treatment modalities associated with recurrence in DCIS and micro-invasive carcinoma: Who to treat more and who to treat less.

The primary aim in the management of DCIS is the prevention of recurrence and contralateral tumor. Risk factors for DCIS recurrence and appropriate treatments are still widely debated. Adjuvant therapies after surgical resection reduce recurrences and contralateral disease, but these treatments have significant financial costs, side effects and there is a group of low-risk patients who would not gain additional benefit. The aim of our analysis was to identify clinical-pathological features and treatment modalities associated with recurrence in DCIS and microinvasive carcinoma. In the Thomas Jefferson University Cancer Registry of Philadelphia, we identified 865 patients with DCIS or micro-invasive carcinoma treated between 2003 and 2013. Associations between recurrence and demographic factors (age at diagnosis, ethnicity), biological features (ER, PR and HER2) and treatment modalities (surgery, radiotherapy and endocrine treatment) were assessed. Our single institution register-based study showed that distribution of age at diagnosis and biological features did not significantly differ among ethnic groups. Younger women and micro-invasive carcinoma patients were more likely to undergo mastectomy, while African Americans were more likely to take endocrine therapy and undergo radiotherapy. In our sample only ER/PR negative DCIS were associated with significantly higher recurrence rate. Moreover, we reported a high rate of HER2 positive recurrences, suggesting that expression of this oncogene may represent a potential biomarker for DCIS at high risk of recurrence. To better define the molecular profile of the subgroup at worse prognosis might help to identify biomarkers predictive of recurrence or second tumors, identifying patients candidates for more appropriate treatments.

Reduced risk of bone metastasis for patients with breast cancer who use COX-2 inhibitors.

PURPOSE: We hypothesize that the use of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors in early disease phases could protect against the development of bony metastases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The medical charts of patients with stage II-III breast cancer diagnosed between 1999 and 2005 were reviewed. Patients were subdivided according to the use of COX-2 inhibitors after the diagnosis and for > or = 6 months. Bivariate analyses were undertaken, and statistically significant variables were included in a multivariate logistic regression model. RESULTS: Eleven percent of patients (74 of 644) who did not use COX-2 inhibitors developed bone metastases compared with 2% (1 of 48) of those who did use COX-2 inhibitors (Fisher exact test, P = .05). Significant predictors for bone metastases in a multivariate logistic regression model included: > or = 3 positive nodes (odds ratio [OR], 3.26 [95% CI, 1.79-5.93]; P < .001), stage IIB-IIIC disease (OR, 3.89 [95% CI: 1.74-8.69]; P = .001) and use of COX-2 inhibitors (OR, 0.12 [95% CI, 0.02-0.88]; P = .037). Adjusting for TNM stage, of the 327 patients with stages IIB-IIIC disease, 22% (63 of 293) had bone metastases in the non-COX-2 group versus 3% (1 of 34) in the COX-2 inhibitors consumers (Fisher exact test, P = .006). In this high-risk group of patients, the calculated OR associated with COX-2 inhibitors was 0.10 (95% CI, 0.01-0.78). CONCLUSION: The use of COX-2 inhibitors could reduce the risk of bone metastases in stage II-III breast cancer.