Quality of life with talazoparib after platinum or multiple cytotoxic non-platinum regimens in patients with advanced breast cancer and germline BRCA1/2 mutations: patient-reported outcomes from the ABRAZO phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Talazoparib (1 mg/day) exhibited promising efficacy and safety in patients with advanced breast cancer during ABRAZO (NCT02034916); this study evaluated patient-reported outcomes (PROs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: ABRAZO is a two-cohort, two-stage, phase 2 study of talazoparib in patients with advanced breast cancer after a response to prior platinum-based therapy (cohort 1 [C1], n = 49) or ≥3 platinum-free cytotoxic-based regimens (cohort 2 [C2], n = 35). PROs were assessed on day 1 (baseline), every 6 weeks for an initial 24 weeks, and every 12 weeks thereafter until progression, using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ-C30) and its breast cancer module, QLQ-BR23. RESULTS: Global health status/quality of life (GHS/QoL) was maintained from baseline across all time points for both C1 and C2. For C1 and C2, median time to deterioration (TTD) of GHS/QoL (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 2.8 (2.1, 3.0) and 5.5 (4.2, 5.7) months, respectively. Median TTD for all QLQ-C30 functional scales for C1 and C2 ranged 2.1-3.1 months and 4.2-5.6 months, respectively; median TTD for all QLQ-BR23 symptom scales ranged 2.6-4.0 months and 4.2-5.6 months, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in estimated overall change from baseline in the GHS/QoL scale for both cohorts (C1: -2.6 [95% CI, -7.8, 2.5]; C2: 1.2 [95% CI, -5.5, 8.0]). Significant overall improvements in the breast symptoms and arm symptoms and the future perspective of patients in C1 and C2 were observed, despite the statistically significant and clinically meaningful overall deterioration among patients regarding their role functioning (in C1) and dyspnoea symptoms (in C2). CONCLUSION: Despite the statistically significant and clinically meaningful overall deterioration among patients regarding their role functioning (in C1) and dyspnoea symptoms (in C2), patients in both C1 and C2 reported significant overall improvements in their breast symptoms, arm symptoms and future perspective, and their GHS/QoL was maintained from baseline.

Homologous recombination deficiency and host anti-tumor immunity in triple-negative breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with worse outcomes relative to other breast cancer subtypes. Chemotherapy remains the standard-of-care systemic therapy for patients with localized or metastatic disease, with few biomarkers to guide benefit. METHODS: We will discuss recent advances in our understanding of two key biological processes in TNBC, homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair deficiency and host anti-tumor immunity, and their intersection. RESULTS: Recent advances in our understanding of homologous recombination (HR) deficiency, including FDA approval of PARP inhibitor olaparib for BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers, and host anti-tumor immunity in TNBC offer potential for new and biomarker-driven approaches to treat TNBC. Assays interrogating HR DNA repair capacity may guide treatment with agents inducing or targeting DNA damage repair. Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are associated with improved prognosis in TNBC and recent efforts to characterize infiltrating immune cell subsets and activate host anti-tumor immunity offer promise, yet challenges remain particularly in tumors lacking pre-existing immune infiltrates. Advances in these fields provide potential biomarkers to stratify patients with TNBC and guide therapy: induction of DNA damage in HR-deficient tumors and activation of existing or recruitment of host anti-tumor immune cells. Importantly, these advances provide an opportunity to guide use of existing therapies and development of novel therapies for TNBC. Efforts to combine therapies that exploit HR deficiency to enhance the activity of immune-directed therapies offer promise. CONCLUSIONS: HR deficiency remains an important biomarker target and potentially effective adjunct to enhance immunogenicity of 'immune cold' TNBCs.

Veliparib with temozolomide or carboplatin/paclitaxel versus placebo with carboplatin/paclitaxel in patients with BRCA1/2 locally recurrent/metastatic breast cancer: randomized phase II study.

Background: Homologous recombination defects in BRCA1/2-mutated tumors result in sensitivity to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors, which interfere with DNA damage repair. Veliparib, a potent poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor, enhanced the antitumor activity of platinum agents and temozolomide in early phase clinical trials. This phase II study examined the safety and efficacy of intermittent veliparib with carboplatin/paclitaxel (VCP) or temozolomide (VT) in patients with BRCA1/2-mutated breast cancer. Patients and methods: Eligible patients ≥18 years with locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer and a deleterious BRCA1/2 germline mutation were randomized 1 : 1 : 1 to VCP, VT, or placebo plus carboplatin/paclitaxel (PCP). Primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS); secondary end points included overall survival (OS) and overall response rate (ORR). Results: Of 290 randomized patients, 284 were BRCA+, confirmed by central laboratory. For VCP versus PCP, median PFS was 14.1 and 12.3 months, respectively [hazard ratio (HR) 0.789; 95% CI 0.536-1.162; P = 0.227], interim median OS 28.3 and 25.9 months (HR 0.750; 95% CI 0.503-1.117; P = 0.156), and ORR 77.8% and 61.3% (P = 0.027). For VT (versus PCP), median PFS was 7.4 months (HR 1.858; 95% CI 1.278-2.702; P = 0.001), interim median OS 19.1 months (HR 1.483; 95% CI 1.032-2.131; P = 0.032), and ORR 28.6% (P < 0.001). Safety profile was comparable between carboplatin/paclitaxel arms. Adverse events (all grades) of neutropenia, anemia, alopecia, and neuropathy were less frequent with VT versus PCP. Conclusion: Numerical but not statistically significant increases in both PFS and OS were observed in patients with BRCA1/2-mutated recurrent/metastatic breast cancer receiving VCP compared with PCP. The addition of veliparib to carboplatin/paclitaxel significantly improved ORR. There was no clinically meaningful increase in toxicity with VCP versus PCP. VT was inferior to PCP. An ongoing phase III trial is evaluating VCP versus PCP, with optional continuation single-agent therapy with veliparib/placebo if chemotherapy is discontinued without progression, in this patient population. Clinical trial information: NCT01506609.

Cardiotoxicity associated with the cancer therapeutic agent sunitinib malate.

BACKGROUND: In the pivotal phase III metastatic renal cell carcinoma trial, updated data indicates that 21% of sunitinib-treated patients experienced a decline in left ventricular ejection fraction to below normal. This cardiotoxicity was reported to be reversible and without clinical sequelae. We conducted a retrospective analysis of our institutional experience of cardiotoxicity with sunitinib after observing a high incidence of symptomatic heart failure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients receiving sunitinib at Stanford University from 1 July 2004 to 1 July 2007 were identified. Medical records were reviewed and those patients experiencing symptomatic grade 3/4 left ventricular systolic dysfunction were identified. Potential cardiac risk factors were analyzed. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients treated with sunitinib were assessable. Seven patients experienced symptomatic grade 3/4 left ventricular dysfunction 22-435 days after initiation of sunitinib. Three patients had persistent cardiac dysfunction after discontinuation of sunitinib and initiation of heart failure therapy. A history of congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease and lower body mass index were factors associated with increased risk. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients treated with sunitinib at our institution, 15% developed symptomatic grade 3/4 heart failure. Future studies of sunitinib-related cardiotoxicity are urgently needed, particularly as the oncologic indications for this drug continue to expand.