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Background: LUX-Lung 8 was a randomised, controlled, phase 3 study comparing afatinib and erlotinib as second-line treatment of patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lung. We report the final overall survival (OS) and safety analyses of LUX-Lung 8 and investigate the characteristics of patients who achieved long-term benefit (≥12 months’ treatment). Methods: LUX-Lung 8 (NCT01523587) enroled patients between March 2012 and January 2014 and this final analysis had a data cut-off of March 2018. Eligible patients had stage IIIB or IV lung SCC and had progressed after at least four cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive afatinib (40 mg per day) or erlotinib (150 mg per day) until disease progression. Endpoints included OS and safety; a post-hoc analysis of patients with long-term benefit (≥12 months on treatment) was also conducted. Findings: 795 eligible patients were randomly assigned (398 to afatinib, 397 to erlotinib). OS was significantly prolonged with afatinib compared with erlotinib (median 7·8 months vs 6·8 months; hazard ratio 0·84; 95% CI 0·73–0·97; p = 0·0193). These findings were consistent with those of the primary analysis and were consistent across subgroups. Adverse events (AEs) were manageable with dose interruption and reduction, with similar AEs being experienced between both groups. Twenty-one (5·3%) patients receiving afatinib and 13 (3·3%) patients receiving erlotinib achieved long-term benefit; median OS was 34·6 months and 20·1 months, respectively. Amongst 132 afatinib-treated patients who underwent tumour genetic analysis, ERBB family mutations were more common in patients with long-term benefit than in the overall population (50% vs 21%). Interpretation: Afatinib is a treatment option for patients with SCC of the lung progressing on chemotherapy who are ineligible for immunotherapy, particularly those with ERBB family genetic aberrations. Afatinib has a predictable and manageable tolerability profile, and long-term treatment may be well tolerated. Funding: Boehringer Ingelheim.

Abstract Aims  Patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and central nervous system (CNS) involvement have an impaired survival and quality of life. In this study, we investigated the risk factors for CNS metastasis among patients with MBC. Methods  The risk factors for development of CNS metastasis were analyzed in 154 patients with MBC. Expression of c-erbB-2, Ki-67, p53, and hormone receptors was examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in breast cancer tissue samples from the 154 patients. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests were used for the analysis of overall survival (OS). Chi-square test was used for univariate analysis. Results  Median OS was significantly poorer for patients with CNS metastasis as compared with patients with no CNS metastasis (OS, 23 mo vs 30 mo, respectively;p = 0.03). Ki-67 and p53 overexpressions by IHC, and lung metastasis as the first site of relapse, were associated with a higher risk of developing CNS metastasis in the univariate analysis (p ≤ 0.05). The presence of lung metastasis (odds ratio [OR]= 2.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13-7.00,p = 0.02) and p53 overexpression (OR = 2.44, 95% CI: 0.99-6.00,p = 0.05) were the two predictive factors associated with occurrence of CNS metastasis in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions  In this study, the presences of lung metastasis as the first site of relapse and p53 overexpression were predictive for the occurrence of CNS metastasis in patients with MBC. Life expectancy of patients with CNS metastasis is significantly shorter than those without CNS metastasis. These results may have clinical significance in counseling MBC patients with regard to their prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. There is a major unmet need for effective treatments in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. LUX-Lung 8 compared afatinib (an irreversible ErbB family blocker) with erlotinib (a reversible EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor), as second-line treatment for patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. Methods. We did this open-label, phase 3 randomised controlled trial at 183 cancer centres in 23 countries worldwide. We enrolled adults with stage IIIB or IV squamous cell carcinoma of the lung who had progressed after at least four cycles of platinum-based-chemotherapy. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive afatinib (40 mg per day) or erlotinib (150 mg per day) until disease progression. The randomisation was done centrally with an interactive voice or web-based response system and stratified by ethnic origin (eastern Asian vs non-eastern Asian). Clinicians and patients were not masked to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival assessed by independent central review (intention-to-treat population). The key secondary endpoint was overall survival. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01523587. Findings. 795 eligible patients were randomly assigned (398 to afatinib, 397 to erlotinib). Median follow-up at the time of the primary analysis of progression-free survival was 6.7 months (IQR 3.1-10.2), at which point enrolment was not complete. Progression free-survival at the primary analysis was significantly longer with afatinib than with erlotinib [median 2.4 months (95% CI 1.9-2.9) vs 1.9 months (1.9-2.2); hazard ratio (HR) 0.82 (95% CI 0.68-1.00), p=0.0427]. At the time of the primary analysis of overall survival [median follow-up 18.4 months (IQR 13.8-22.4)], overall survival was significantly greater in the afatinib group than in the erloinib group [median 7.9 months (95% CI 7.2-8.7] vs 6.8 months (5.9-7.8); HR 0.81 (95% CI 0.69-0.95), p=0.0077], as were progression-free survival [median 2.6 months (95% CI 2.0-2.9) vs 1.9 months (1.9-2.1); HR 0.81 (95% CI 0.69-0.96), p=0.0103] and disease control [201 (51%) of 398 patients vs 157 (40%) of 397; p=0.0020]. The proportion of patients with an objective response did not differ significantly between groups [22 (6%) vs 11 (3%); p=0.0551]. Tumour shrinkage occurred in 103 (26%) of 398 patients versus 90 (23%) of 397 patients. Adverse event profiles were similar in each group: 224 (57%) of 392 patients in the afatinib group versus 227 (57%) of 395 in the erlotinib group had grade 3 or higher adverse events. We recorded higher incidences of treatment-related grade 3 diarrhoea with afatinib [39 (10%) vs 9 (2%)], of grade 3 stomatitis with afatinib [16 (4%) vs none], and of grade 3 rash or acne with erlotinib [23 (6%) vs 41 (10%)]. Interpretation. The significant improvements in progression-free survival and overall survival with afatinib compared with erlotinib, along with a manageable safety profile and the convenience of oral administration suggest that afatinib could be an additional option for the treatment of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.

Background: Breast cancer is the most commonly seen and cause of cancer deaths in women in most of the developed and developing countries. Breast cancer awareness and organized population based screening programmes have resulted in early diagnosis, reduction in mortality, and breastconserving surgery. Therefore, body image of women suff ered from breast cancer has been protected, and overall survival rate has increased. Eighty-four KETEM’s (Cancer Early Detection and Screening Center) in 81 provinces in Turkey has been founded by Cancer Control Department of The Ministry of Health of Turkey. Opportunistic screening has been performed in these centers; however there are no available data regarding the eff ect of opportunistic screening on breast cancer mortality. Population based organized screening programmes should be implemented to reach this aim.Aim: The aim is to organize national early diagnosis and screening programs consistent with the conditions of country, that are necessary for early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer which is the most frequently seen female cancer with gradually increasing incidence in our country.Methods: National Cancer Advisory Board, Breast Cancer Early Detection and Screening Sub-Committee organized three meetings in Ankara in 2008. In addition to those three-day workshops, a fourth one was performed in January 22-24, 2009 to provide reports from those studies. In these meetings, expert panelists selected by The Ministry of Health, National Cancer Advisory Board, and National Federation of Breast Societies shared their experiences and knowledge on early detection and screening of breast cancer in Turkey. Two representatives from the World Health Organization also attended to the third meeting. During those meetings, targets and strategies for early detection and screening for breast cancer had been evaluated. Possible barriers to screening, their eliminations, methods of follow up the prepared programme step by step had also been discussed.Results: To reach the success with early detection and screening programs is not possible without community awareness about the importance of early detection and especially high-level awareness of the target population. For this reason, education of women and increasing breast cancer awareness should be the fi rst step. Health care providers (physicians, nurses, midwives etc.) and their administrators (health administrators, chief of staff in hospital etc.) should also be trained and included in those programs. A realistic budget for screening projects should be prepared and carried out. There should be a high-level coordination and a comprehensive organization among study groups, screening centers, and institutions. Social, cultural, and other possible regional barriers against the implementation of projects should be explored and eliminated. Activities, performance status and available data should be controlled, evaluated and published periodically. Targets, strategies, activities, criteria relationships with other related organizations should be re-evaluated, and performance should be monitored regularly.Conclusions: Organizing and implementing breast cancer early detection and screening programmes could be possible only with comprehensive, planned in details, and well determined studies. Resources should be used carefully and timely whenever necessary. As a result of this, downstaging of breast cancer and reduction in mortality rate in community could be possible.