scholarly journals Hormonal treatment combined with targeted therapies in endocrine-responsive and HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 175883591989410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilia Montagna ◽  
Marco Colleoni

Approximately 50% of HER2 positive breast cancer cases are also estrogen receptor (ER) positive. Data supports a role for close cross-talk between the ER and HER2 signaling pathways as an important contributor to the development of de novo or acquired resistance to hormone therapies. Therefore a strategy that simultaneously blocks both signaling pathways is a reasonable approach to prevent or overcome either endocrine or anti-HER2 therapy resistance. Moreover, preclinical data support the idea that PI3K inhibitors and CDK4/6 could be an attractive target that functions downstream of both ER and HER2 pathways. We conducted a literature review of the results of phase II and III studies testing targeted therapies in metastatic breast cancer with HER2-positive and hormonal-receptor-positive disease. The analyses included efficacy and toxicity data from earlier studies with a single anti-HER2 drug combined with hormonal therapy up to more recent studies testing new molecules targeting these signaling pathways. The aims of this review are to summarize current knowledge and to discuss research development including the possibility to spare chemotherapy in this subgroup of HER2-positive breast cancer patients.

BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takahiro Nakayama ◽  
Tetsuhiro Yoshinami ◽  
Hiroyuki Yasojima ◽  
Nobuyoshi Kittaka ◽  
Masato Takahashi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) is a second-line standard therapy for patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive metastatic breast cancer. Evidence regarding post–T-DM1 treatments is currently lacking. We evaluated the effectiveness of post–T-DM1 drug therapy in patients with HER2-positive, unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer. Methods In this multicenter, retrospective, observational study, real-world clinical data of female patients with HER2-positive breast cancer who had a history of T-DM1 treatment were consecutively collected from five sites in Japan. We investigated the effectiveness of post–T-DM1 therapy by evaluating the real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS), time to treatment failure (TTF), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and clinical benefit rate (CBR). Tumor response was assessed by investigators according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST version 1.1) guidelines. Subgroup and exploratory analyses according to background factors were also undertaken. Results Of the 205 patients who received T-DM1 treatment between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2018, 128 were included in this study. Among the 128 patients analyzed, 105 (82%) patients received anti-HER2 therapy and 23 (18%) patients received regimens without anti-HER2 therapy. Median (95% confidence interval [CI]) rwPFS, TTF, and OS were 5.7 (4.8–6.9) months, 5.6 (4.6–6.4) months, and 22.8 (18.2–32.4) months, respectively. CBR and ORR (95% CI) were 48% (38.8–56.7) and 23% (15.1–31.4), respectively. Cox-regression analysis showed that an ECOG PS score of 0, a HER2 immunohistochemistry score of 3+, recurrent type, ≥12 month duration of T-DM1 therapy, and anti-HER2 therapy were independent variables for rwPFS. An exploratory subgroup analysis of regimens after T-DM1 showed that those with anti-HER2 therapy had a median rwPFS of 6.3 and those without anti-HER2 therapy had a median rwPFS of 4.8 months. Conclusions In the real-world setting in Japan, several post–T-DM1 regimens for patients with unresectable and/or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, including continuation of anti-HER2 therapy, showed some effectiveness; however, this effectiveness was insufficient. Novel therapeutic options are still needed for further improvement of PFS and OS in later treatment settings. Trial registration UMIN000038296; registered on 15 October 2019.


2021 ◽  
Vol 81 (06) ◽  
pp. 666-678
Author(s):  
Diana Lüftner ◽  
Matthias Peipp

AbstractDespite therapeutic gains in the treatment of HER2-positive (HER2: human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) advanced/metastatic breast cancer, there remains an urgent need for more effective treatment options. At present, there is no definitive approved standard therapy beyond second-line treatment. One of the major challenges is overcoming treatment resistance. Depending on the underlying resistance mechanism, different strategies are being pursued for new innovative treatment concepts in HER2-positive breast cancer. Specifically designed antibodies for targeted therapy are one important focus to successfully meet these challenges. Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd, DS-8201a), an optimised antibody drug conjugate (ADC) is in clinical trials, showing promising outcomes in patients with advanced, nonoperable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who had already undergone intensive prior treatment. Based on this data, T-DXd has already been approved in the US and Japan for HER2-positive advanced nonoperable and metastatic breast cancer – in the US after at least two prior anti-HER2 targeted treatment lines and in Japan after prior chemotherapy. T-DXd represents successful “antibody engineering”. Since the beginning of the year, T-DXd has also been approved in Europe as monotherapy for inoperable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer in patients who are pretreated with at least two anti-HER2 directed therapies. This paper presents strategies for improving treatment options in advanced nonoperable and metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, with the development of T-DXd as an example.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. TPS1106-TPS1106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Spring ◽  
Shom Goel ◽  
Dejan Juric ◽  
Steven J. Isakoff ◽  
Stephanie Haddad ◽  
...  

TPS1106 Background: Despite the availability of multiple effective therapies, most patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer will experience disease progression and death. While traditionally the focus has been targeting the HER receptor family itself, combinations involving targets downstream of the HER2 pathway, particularly CDK 4/6, could potentially enhance therapeutic efficacy. In pre-clinical models of acquired resistance to HER2-targeted therapies, inhibition of CDK4/6 has been shown to result in tumor inhibition. Trial Design: This phase Ib, single arm, open-label clinical trialis investigating the combination of Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) and the CDK4/6 inhibitor, ribociclib (LEE011). Eligible patients include patients age ≥ 18 years with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Prior treatment with at least one regimen containing trastuzumab and a taxane is required. Ribociclib is given orally for two weeks of a 21-day cycle (days 8-21), with T-DM1 given at standard dose every 3 weeks on day 1. Trial Objectives: 1. To estimate the MTD and/or RP2D of ribociclib in combination with T-DM1. 2. To assess the safety and tolerability of ribociclib in combination with T-DM1. 3. To explore the clinical activity of T-DM1 and ribociclib in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. 4. To assess potential biomarkers of response to ribociclib in combination with T-DM1. Statistical Methods: A standard 3+3 dose escalation design is being used to evaluate various doses of ribociclib in combination with T-DM1 to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and/or recommended phase-2 dose (RP2D). Once MTD/RP2D is determined there will be a dose-expansion cohort (N = l5) to confirm the safety profile and evaluate preliminary evidence of efficacy, including objective response rate (ORR) by RECIST 1.1 and progression-free survival (PFS). Clinical trial information: NCT02657343.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. S4-S9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah McCauley ◽  
Gillian Carter ◽  
Maggie Bennett ◽  
Oonagh McNally ◽  
Katherine MA Rogers

Metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer is an incurable disease with a poor prognosis. This article presents a critical appraisal of two treatments commonly used in the treatment of metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer: the oral chemotherapy drug, capecitabine, and the monoclonal antibody, trastuzumab. What follows is a critical discussion of the pharmacotherapeutics of capecitabine and trastuzumab, which considers their use both as single agents and as a combination regimen in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. The implications of side effects of these drugs are discussed, both individually and in combination, as are the challenges these bring to the prescriber. The article evaluates the use of these agents and concludes that the combination of capecitabine and trastuzumab is an attractive treatment option for patients and for the prescriber.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Spanggaard ◽  
Jens Olsen ◽  
Kenneth Forsström Jensen ◽  
Michael Andersson

Abstract Background: Information and knowledge about cost of illness and labour productivity in patients with HER2-positive early-stage and metastatic breast cancer treated with trastuzumab is limited. The aim of this study was to estimate the direct and indirect costs associated with treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer among patients with early-stage and metastatic breast cancer, treated with trastuzumab, in a 10-year period after diagnosis. Materials and Methods: This study included all Danish HER2-positive breast cancer patients (≥18 years) treated with trastuzumab between 2005 and 2016 identified in the Danish national registers. Among this population, patients experiencing metastatic breast cancer were identified. For the study populations, we estimated total healthcare costs and indirect costs for one year prior to the breast cancer diagnosis and up to 10 years after diagnosis compared with a group of matched controls free of breast cancer.Results: We identified 4,153 HER2-positive breast cancer patients, whereof 27% were identified with metastatic breast cancer. During the follow-up period of 10 years, we estimated excess healthcare costs of EUR 115,000 among the total study population compared to controls; EUR 211,000 among patients with recurrence; and EUR 89,000 among patients without recurrence. Healthcare costs were found to be highest in the first year after diagnosis and also peaked in the year after recurrence. Labour productivity was significantly lower among patients with recurrence 10 years after breast cancer diagnosis compared with controls.Conclusions: In this study, we estimated the direct and indirect cost associated with HER2-positive breast cancer to be significantly increased during the 10 years after diagnosis, specifically among patients experiencing recurrence of breast cancer.


Author(s):  
Toshiaki Iwase ◽  
Tushaar Vishal Shrimanker ◽  
Ruben Rodriguez-Bautista ◽  
Onur Sahin ◽  
Anjali James ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to determine the change in overall survival (OS) for patients with de novo metastatic breast cancer (dnMBC) over time. We conducted a retrospective cohort study with 1981 patients with dnMBC diagnosed between January 1995 and December 2017 at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. OS was measured from the date of diagnosis of dnMBC. OS was compared between patients diagnosed during different time periods: 5-year periods and periods defined according to when key agents were approved for clinical use. The median OS was 3.4 years. The 5- and 10-year OS rates improved over time across both types of time periods. A subgroup analysis showed that OS improved significantly over time for the estrogen-receptor-positive/HER2-positive (ER+/HER2+) subtype, and exhibited a tendency toward improvement over time for the ER-negative (ER-)/HER2+ subtype. Median OS was significantly longer in patients with non-inflammatory breast cancer (P = .02) and in patients with ER+ disease, progesterone-receptor-positive disease, HER2+ disease, lower nuclear grade, locoregional therapy, and metastasis to a single organ (all P <.0001). These findings showed that OS at 5 and 10 years after diagnosis in patients with dnMBC improved over time. The significant improvements in OS over time for the ER+/HER2+ subtype and the tendency toward improvement for ER-/HER2+ subtype suggest the contribution of HER2-targeted therapy to survival.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanu Modi

This is a summary of the article discussing the results of the DESTINY-Breast01 study originally published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The DESTINY-Breast01 study is a clinical study in participants with a type of breast cancer called HER2-positive breast cancer. The participants in the study received a treatment called trastuzumab deruxtecan, also known as T-DXd. The purpose of this summary is to help you understand the results of the DESTINY-Breast01 study. T-DXd is currently available as a treatment for adults with HER2-positive breast cancer that cannot be removed by surgery, also called unresectable, or that has spread, also called metastatic. In the DESTINY-Breast01 study, all the participants had HER2-positive breast cancer that was metastatic or unresectable. All participants were required to have had previous treatment for their HER2-positive breast cancer with another treatment, called trastuzumab emtansine or T-DM1. All the participants received T-DXd every 3 weeks. Part 1 was done to learn how T-DXd acted in the body, and to choose a dose to give to all the participants in Part 2. In Part 2, 184 participants received T-DXd at 5.4 mg/kg and the results showed that T-DXd reduced tumor growth. Up to 60.9% of the participants had their tumors shrink or disappear, with a treatment response that lasted for nearly 15 months on average. The participants lived with their cancer for around 16 months before it got worse. During the study, 183 out of 184 participants had side effects, known as adverse events. The most common adverse event was nausea. There were 42 participants (22.8%) who had serious adverse events, including lung toxicity. These results suggest that T-DXd could be a treatment option for people with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have already been treated with T-DM1. Additional studies will provide more information and results about T-DXd. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT number: NCT03248492 To read the full Plain Language Summary of this article, click on the View Article button above and download the PDF. Link to original article here .


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1984 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne E. Mortimer ◽  
Laura Kruper ◽  
Mary Cianfrocca ◽  
Sayeh Lavasani ◽  
Sariah Liu ◽  
...  

The development of new HER2-directed therapies has resulted in a significant prolongation of survival for women with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. Discoveries in the laboratory inform clinical trials which are the basis for improving the standard of care and are also the backbone for quality improvement. Clinical trials can be completed more rapidly by expanding trial enrollment to community sites. In this article we review some of the challenges in treating metastatic breast cancer with HER2-directed therapies and our strategies for incorporating our community partners into the research network.


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