Real-world treatment outcomes in HR+ HER2- metastatic breast cancer patients treated with CDK4/6 inhibitors: Results from a reference center in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) have been recently developed and introduced into clinical practice. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from patients with confirmed HR+/HER2 metastatic breast cancer treated with hormonal therapy in combination with ribociclib (R), palbociclib (P), or abemaciclib (A). OUTCOMES: median progression-free survival (mPFS), time to treatment discontinuation (mTTD), and objective response rate (ORR). RESULTS: Between January 2016 - June 2021, 142 patients were treated with an CDK4/6i (79 P, 42 R, 21 A). The median age was 59 years and 67.6% had recurrent disease. Roughly 35.2%, 36.6%, 28.2% of the patients had 1, 2 or 3+ metastatic sites, respectively, and 55.6% of the patients received CDK4/6i as a first-line treatment. The mPFS was 28m(R) vs. 14m(P) vs. 6m(A) (P = 0.002), with a higher proportion of patients receiving R in the first-line setting. However, no difference was seen when the analysis was restricted to the first-line scenario (P = 0.193). Sixty-four patients required one dose reduction, and 19 patients required two. ORR was 76.2% (R) vs 62% (P) vs 42.9% (A). More patients achieved a complete response with R and P, with no difference in the incidence of partial response and stable disease. Adverse events occurred in 94.4% of the population, with the most common grade 3-4 AE being neutropenia (59.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the efficacy and tolerability of CDK4/6i in routine clinical practice. This is the first real-world data describing and comparing the efficacy and toxicity of CDK4/6i in the Brazilian population.

Unique SLC12A2-ROS1 fusion is associated with marked response to crizotinib in lung adenocarcinoma.

Chromosomal rearrangements involving the c-ros oncogene 1 (ROS1) gene define a subset of non-small cell lung cancers highly sensitive to small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors. However, little is known about the impact of different fusion partners on tyrosine kinase inhibitor efficacy. We herein describe a case of a 26-year-old never-smoker patient from southern Africa with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma driven by SLC12A2-ROS1 fusion, who had a pronounced and durable response to crizotinib. The present case underscores the importance of pursuing actionable alterations in patients with similar clinical and epidemiological characteristics. In addition, provides the second report of crizotinib activity against lung malignancies harboring the unique SLC12A2-ROS1 fusion and highlights the importance of a deeper understanding of molecular alterations in underrepresented subgroups of patients to tailor the decision-making in daily practice.

Knowledge, Practice, and Attitudes of Physicians in Low- and Middle-Income Countries on Fertility and Pregnancy-Related Issues in Young Women With Breast Cancer.

PURPOSE: Fertility and pregnancy-related issues are highly relevant for young (≤ 40 years) patients with breast cancer. Limited evidence exists on knowledge, practice, and attitudes of physicians from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) regarding these issues. METHODS: A 19-item questionnaire adapted from an international survey exploring issues about fertility preservation and pregnancy after breast cancer was sent by e-mail between November 2019 and January 2020 to physicians from LMICs involved in breast cancer care. Descriptive analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 288 physicians from Asia, Africa, America, and Europe completed the survey. Median age was 38 years. Responders were mainly medical oncologists (44.4%) working in an academic setting (46.9%). Among responders, 40.2% and 53.8% reported having never consulted the available international guidelines on fertility preservation and pregnancy after breast cancer, respectively. 25.0%, 19.1%, and 24.3% of responders answered to be not at all knowledgeable about embryo, oocyte, or ovarian tissue cryopreservation, respectively; 29.2%, 23.6%, and 31.3% declared that embryo, oocyte, and ovarian tissue cryopreservation were not available in their countries, respectively. 57.6% of responders disagreed or were neutral on the statement that controlled ovarian stimulation can be considered safe in patients with breast cancer. 49.7% and 58.6% of responders agreed or were neutral on the statement that pregnancy in breast cancer survivors may increase the risk of recurrence overall or only in those with hormone receptor-positive disease, respectively. CONCLUSION: This survey showed suboptimal knowledge, practice, and attitudes of physicians from LMICs on fertility preservation and pregnancy after treatment completion in young women with breast cancer. Increasing awareness and education on these aspects are needed to improve adherence to available guidelines and to promote patients' oncofertility counseling.

Impressive response to dabrafenib, trametinib, and osimertinib in a metastatic EGFR-mutant/BRAF V600E lung adenocarcinoma patient.

The survival outcomes of the FLAURA trial support osimertinib as the new standard of care for untreated patients harboring activating mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Despite the initial response, disease progression invariably occurs. Although uncommon, BRAF V600E mutation arises as a unique mechanism of resistance, and thus far, no prospective studies are available to support concurrent EGFR/BRAF blockade. We report a case of impressive radiological and ctDNA response under dabrafenib, trametinib, and osimertinib in an advanced EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma patient who developed BRAF V600E as one of the acquired resistance mechanisms to second-line osimertinib. Moreover, the patient experienced remarkable clinical improvement and good tolerance to combination therapy. The present case suggests the importance of prospective studies evaluating both efficacy and safety of the combination in later line settings and points towards the potential of ctDNA to monitor resistance mechanisms and treatment benefit in clinical practice.

Alectinib activity in chemotherapy-refractory metastatic RET-rearranged non-small cell lung carcinomas: A case series.

OBJECTIVES: to report outcomes of four cases of chemo-refractory RET-rearranged non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs) treated with alectinib in a single center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: we retrospectively assessed and reported the activity and tolerability of alectinib 600 mg twice daily in advanced and chemo-refractory RET-rearranged NSCLC patients treated in a Brazilian institution. Identification of RET rearrangements was performed using the FoundationOne® next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform. RESULTS: The four patients herein reported were white, female and non-smokers, ranging between 59-66 years of age. All patients had been previously treated with chemotherapy and were TKI naïve; three of them presented disease progression to nivolumab as well. Molecular tumor profiling showed a KIF5B-RET fusion in three patients and a CCDC6-RET in the fourth. One patient exhibited disease progression and clinical deterioration two months after treatment initiation. Disease control was documented in two patients with PFS ranging from 4 to 5 months (one partial metabolic response and one stable disease). In one of the cases, which developed oligoprogression on alectinib, radiation therapy plus post-progression alectinib were able to provide additional disease control for 9 more months. No grade 3/4 adverse events, dose reductions or discontinuation due to toxicity were documented. CONCLUSION: Although this is a small single center evaluation, alectinib was well tolerated and demonstrated clinical activity against advanced RET-rearranged NSCLCs, suggesting its potential role in this specific subset of malignancies. Clinical trials addressing its efficacy and the optimal dosing schedule in the present context are underway, and results are eagerly awaited.

Uma revisão do tratamento com corticosteróides da distrofia muscular de Duchenne / Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a review of corticosteroid based treatment

A distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD) é uma doença recessiva ligada ao cromossomo X (na região p21) que ocorre por uma mutação no gene responsável pela síntese da proteína distrofina que resulta em uma quantidade muito reduzida, nula ou em uma forma anormal dessa proteína. Até que a terapia molecular possa ser obtida somente os corticóides aumentaram temporariamente a funçâo muscular. São utilizados os seguintes corticóides: prednisona e prednisolona (0.75 mg/kg) e deflazacort (0.9 mg/kg). Os corticóides aumentam massa muscular, retardam a velocidade de degeneração muscular, aumentam o tempo de deambulação e também a capacidade respiratória e cardíaca. No entanto esteróides posseum diversos efeitos colaterais. O deflazacort causa menos efeitos colaterais, exceto a catarata. Os efeitos benéficos e colaterais dos corticóides precisam ser monitorizados de perto.

Uma revisÒo do tratamento com corticosteróides da distrofia muscular de Duchenne / Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a review of corticosteroid based treatment

A distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD) é uma doenþa recessiva ligada ao cromossomo X (na regiÒo p21) que ocorre por uma mutaþÒo no gene responsável pela síntese da proteína distrofina que resulta em uma quantidade muito reduzida, nula ou em uma forma anormal dessa proteína. Até que a terapia molecular possa ser obtida somente os corticóides aumentaram temporariamente a funþÔo muscular. SÒo utilizados os seguintes corticóides: prednisona e prednisolona (0.75 mg/kg) e deflazacort (0.9 mg/kg). Os corticóides aumentam massa muscular, retardam a velocidade de degeneraþÒo muscular, aumentam o tempo de deambulaþÒo e também a capacidade respiratória e cardíaca. No entanto esteróides posseum diversos efeitos colaterais. O deflazacort causa menos efeitos colaterais, exceto a catarata. Os efeitos benéficos e colaterais dos corticóides precisam ser monitorizados de perto.(AU)