Pertuzumab, trastuzumab and taxane-based treatment for visceral organ metastatic, trastuzumab-naïve breast cancer: real-life practice outcomes.

PURPOSE: In this study, we aimed to describe the real-life practice outcomes of pertuzumab-trastuzumab-taxane (PTT) combination in visceral organ metastatic, trastuzumab-naive breast cancer (BC) patients. METHODS: This study was conducted by Turkish Oncology Group and included 317 patients' data from 36 centers. RESULTS: Median age was 51 (22-82). Median PFS was 28.5 months, while median OS was 40.3 months. Patients with brain metastases (n: 13, 4.1%) had worse PFS (16.8 m vs. 28.5 m; p = 0.002) and OS (26.7 m vs. 40.3 m; p = 0.009). Patients older than 65 years of age (n: 42, 13.2%) had significantly lower OS results (19.8 m vs. 40.3 m; p = 0.01). Two hundred sixty-eight patients (86.7%) received docetaxel while 37 patients (11.7%) received paclitaxel. PFS and OS were similar between taxane groups. In eight patients (2.5%), 5-40% ejection fraction decrement from baseline was detected without any clinical sign of heart failure. CONCLUSIONS: Our RLP trial included only visceral metastatic, trastuzumab-naïve BC patients including cases with brain involvement who received PTT combination in the first-line treatment. Regardless of negative prognostic characteristics, our results are in parallel with pivotal trial. Further strategies for brain metastasis should be developed to improve outcomes despite encouraging results with PTT treatment. Taxane selection can be personalized and endocrine maintenance may further improve outcomes after taxanes were discontinued. To our knowledge, this is the largest scale real-life clinical practice study of pertuzumab-trastuzumab-taxane therapy to date.

Thyroid Hormone Withdrawal Further Exacerbates Oxidative Stress in Patients with Thyroid Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Hypothyroidism has profound effects on multiple organs and systems including cellular oxidative damage. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effects of acute hypothyroidism on oxidative stress in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). PATIENTS: 33 patients with DTC were involved in the study. 23 healthy subjects matched for age and body mass index (BMI) served as control group. Fasting blood sample was obtained for the determination of blood chemistry, lipids, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, total lipid hydroperoxide (LHP), pyrrolized protein, protein carbonyl compounds (PCC), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and thiol levels before and after thyroid hormone withdrawal (THW) in patients with DTC. RESULTS: MPO activity, total LHP, pyrrolized protein, PCC and AOPP levels were significantly higher, but thiol levels were significantly lower in patients with DTC while on L-thyroxine treatment than those of healthy subjects. At acute hypothyroid status after THW, MPO activity, total LHP, pyrrolized protein, PCC and AOPP levels further increased, thiol levels further decreased in patients with DTC as compared to healthy subjects and to their on L-thyroxine treatment period. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed an increased oxidative stress in patients with DTC which is further exacerbated with acute hypothyroidism upon THW. This situation may have treatment implications such as antioxidant therapy, at least during THW.