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Background: The D-dimer test is a simple test frequently used in routine clinical screening for venous thromboembolism (VTE). The Cancer-VTE Registry was a large-scale, multicenter, prospective, observational study in Japanese patients with cancer. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between D-dimer level at cancer diagnosis (baseline) and the incidence of events during cancer treatment (1-year follow-up period). Methods: This was a post hoc sub-analysis of patients from the Cancer-VTE Registry whose D-dimer levels were measured at baseline. The incidence of events during the 1-year follow-up period was evaluated stratified by baseline D-dimer level. Adjusted hazard ratios for D-dimer level and events during the follow-up period were evaluated. Results: Among the total enrolled patients, baseline D-dimer level was measured in 9020 patients. The mean ± standard deviation baseline D-dimer level was 1.57 ± 3.94 µg/mL. During the follow-up period, the incidence of VTE, cerebral infarction/transient ischemic attack (TIA)/systemic embolic events (SEE), bleeding, and all-cause death increased with increasing baseline D-dimer level. The incidence of all-cause death increased with increasing D-dimer level regardless of cancer stage. The adjusted hazard ratio of all-cause death was 1.03 (95% confidence interval: 1.02–1.03) per 1.0-µg/mL increase in baseline D-dimer level. Conclusions: Increases in D-dimer levels were associated with a higher risk of thrombotic events, such as VTE and cerebral infarction/TIA/SEE, during cancer treatment. Furthermore, higher D-dimer levels at cancer diagnosis were associated with a higher mortality rate, regardless of cancer stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Phase III POTENT trial demonstrated the efficacy of adding S-1 to adjuvant endocrine therapy for estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer. We investigated the efficacy of S-1 across different recurrence risk subgroups. Methods: This was a post-hoc exploratory analysis of the POTENT trial. Patients in the endocrine-therapy-only arm were divided into three groups based on composite risk values calculated from multiple prognostic factors. The effects of S-1 were estimated using the Cox model in each risk group. The treatment effects of S-1 in patients meeting the eligibility criteria of the monarchE trial were also estimated. Results: A total of 1,897 patients were divided into three groups: group 1 (≤ lower quartile of the composite values) (N = 677), group 2 (interquartile range) (N = 767), and group 3 (> upper quartile) (N = 453). The addition of S-1 to endocrine therapy resulted in 49% (HR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.33–0.78) and 29% (HR: 0.71, 95% CI 0.49–1.02) reductions in invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) events in groups 2 and 3, respectively. We could not identify any benefit from the addition of S-1 in group 1. The addition of S-1 showed an improvement in iDFS in patients with one to three positive nodes meeting the monarchE cohort 1 criteria (N = 290) (HR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.29–0.74). Conclusions: The benefit of adding adjuvant S-1 was particularly marked in group 2. Further investigations are warranted to explore the optimal usage of adjuvant S-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: HER2-positive breast cancer has a high chance of achieving pathological complete response when HSD17B4, responsible for peroxisomal β-oxidation of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFA) and estradiol, is methylation-silenced. Here, we aimed to identify the underlying molecular mechanism. Methods: Using a HER2-positive breast cancer cell line, BT-474, control and knock-out (KO) clones were obtained. Metabolic characteristics were analyzed using a Seahorse Flux analyzer. Results: HSD17B4 KO suppressed cellular proliferation, and enhanced sensitivity to lapatinib approximately tenfold. The KO led to accumulation of VLCFA and a decrease of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid. HSD17B4 KO increased Akt phosphorylation, possibly via decreased DHA, and genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) and electron transport chain (ETC) were upregulated. Increased mitochondrial ATP production in the KO cells was confirmed by extracellular flux analyzer. Increased OxPhos led to severe dependence of the KO cells on pyruvate from glycolysis. Suppression of glycolysis by lapatinib led to severe delayed suppression of OxPhos in KO cells. Conclusion: HSD17B4 KO in BT-474 cells caused a decrease of PUFAs, increased Akt phosphorylation, enhanced glucose dependence of OxPhos, and increased sensitivity to inhibition of HER2, upstream of Akt. This mechanism may be applicable to other HER2-positive glucose-dependent breast cancer cells with HSD17B4 silencing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This subgroup analysis of the Cancer-VTE Registry, a nationwide, large-scale, multicenter observational study with a 1-year follow-up, assessed real-world data on venous thromboembolism (VTE) among Japanese patients with breast cancer. Methods: Patients with stage II–IV pretreatment breast cancer screened for VTE at enrollment were included. During the 1-year follow-up period, incidences of VTE, bleeding, and all-cause death, and background factors associated with VTE risk were examined. Results: Of 9,630 patients in the Cancer-VTE Registry analysis set, 993 (10.3%) had breast cancer (973 [98.0%] did not have and 20 [2.0%] had VTE at baseline). The mean age was 58.4 years, 73.4% of patients had stage II cancer, and 94.8% had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) of 0. Risk factors for VTE at baseline by univariable analysis were age ≥ 65 years, ECOG PS of 2, VTE history, and D-dimer > 1.2 μg/mL. During follow-up, the incidence of symptomatic VTE was 0.4%; incidental VTE requiring treatment, 0.1%; composite VTE (symptomatic VTE and incidental VTE requiring treatment), 0.5%; bleeding, 0.2%; cerebral infarction/transient ischemic attack/systemic embolic event, 0.2%; and all-cause death, 2.1%. One patient with symptomatic VTE developed pulmonary embolism (PE) and died. Incidences of VTE and all-cause death were higher in patients with VTE vs without VTE at baseline. Conclusions: In Japanese patients with breast cancer, VTE screening before initiating cancer treatment revealed a 2.0% prevalence of VTE. During follow-up, one patient had a fatal outcome due to PE, but the incidences of VTE were low. Clinical trial registration: UMIN000024942; UMIN Clinical Trials Registry: https://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Identifying factors associated with treatment alteration (treatment discontinuation and dose reduction) may help to attain the treatment goals for metastatic breast cancer. The value of changes in the quality of life (QOL) in predicting treatment alteration remained unclear. This study aimed to examine the relationship between changes in the QOL and treatment alteration of first-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer.Methods: We merged data from two randomized clinical trials in Japan, conducted from 2006 to 2017, that included patients who were diagnosed with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative and endocrine treatment-resistant breast cancer, with metastatic disease at presentation or recurrence after surgery. The European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 was used to assess QOL. The association between change in time-dependent QOL (worsening by 10-point or not) and time to treatment alteration was assessed using the Cox regression models controlling for patient characteristics (age, liver metastasis, hormone status, and treatment regimen) and baseline QOL.Results: Worsening physical functioning, global health status, and dyspnea were significantly associated with treatment discontinuation. Worsening role functioning, global health status, and fatigue were significantly associated with dose reduction. The threshold for defining worsening did not have a significant impact on the relationship.Conclusion: Changes in QOL are associated with the probability of treatment alteration among metastatic breast cancer patients. Physical functioning, role functioning, global health status, dyspnea, and fatigue should be prioritized for symptom management in patients with metastatic breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To establish minimal important differences (MIDs) for the European Organisation for Research and Treatment for Cancer Quality of life Questionnaire core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Methods: The dataset was obtained from the SELECT BC-CONFIRM randomized clinical trial. Anchors obtained from patients (transition items) and clinicians (performance status) were used for anchor-based methods. Anchors obtained through 6 months after starting treatment were used for this analysis. Correlation coefficients of anchor and change in QLQ-C30 and effect size were used to qualify for estimating MIDs. Mean change method and generalized estimating equation were applied to estimate MIDs. Distribution-based methods were used for comparison. Results: We analyzed a dataset of 154 metastatic breast cancer patients. MIDs were estimated in 8 of 15 scales of QLQ-C30. Estimated MIDs for within-group improvement varied from 7 to 15 and those for deterioration varied from − 7 to − 17. Estimated MIDs for between-group improvement varied from 5 to 11 and those for deterioration varied from − 5 to − 8 across QLQ-C30 scales. Patient-reported anchors were more susceptible to early changes in health status than clinician-reported anchors. Conclusion: We provided the MIDs of the QLQ-C30 using both patient- and clinicians-reported anchors measured in a randomized trial of Japanese patients with metastatic breast cancer. We recommend patient-reported anchors for anchor-based estimation of MID. Our results can aid patients and clinicians, as well as researchers, in the interpretation of QLQ-C30. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Trastuzumab is a standard care as adjuvant chemotherapy (AdjCT) for patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive primary breast cancer (BC) in Japan. However, no reports have evaluated its economics for patients with HER2-positive BC over 70 years of age. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of HER2-targeted trastuzumab + chemotherapy in Japan, comparing it with trastuzumab monotherapy. Methods: A three-state-partitioned survival model was developed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of trastuzumab + chemotherapy versus trastuzumab monotherapy for AdjCT in elderly patients with HER2-positive BC. We derived the efficacy data, utilities, and costs of both arms from individual patient data in the RESPECT trial (NCT01104935) and published studies. The costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were discounted at 2% per annum using a payer perspective. The respective cost estimates were reported in 2019 Japanese Yen (JPY) or US dollars (US$). The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). We assured robustness with deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. Results: The cost per patient for trastuzumab + chemotherapy was JPY 14.6 million (US$137,000), and their QALYs were 9.308, compared with JPY 14.2 million (US$131,000) and 9.101, respectively, for trastuzumab monotherapy. The ICER of trastuzumab + chemotherapy versus trastuzumab monotherapy was JPY 2.7 milllion/QALY (US$17,200/QALY). The ICER for trastuzumab with chemotherapy varied from "Dominant" to "Dominated" in one-way sensitivity analysis. Conclusions: The base-case analysis suggests that AdjCT with trastuzumab + chemotherapy is likely to be a cost-effective choice for patients with HER2-positive BC aged 70 years or older. However, the sensitivity analysis suggested uncertainty regarding the cost-effectiveness of trastuzumab + chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To report our findings on quality of life (QoL) in a randomized phase II study to determine the optimal dose of 3-week cycle nab-paclitaxel (q3w nab-PTX) in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Methods: Patients with HER2-negative MBC were randomly assigned to three different doses of q3w nab-PTX (SD 260 mg/m2 vs. MD: 220 mg/m2 vs. LD 180 mg/m2). QoL was assessed at baseline and during the second, fourth and sixth courses of treatment using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Taxane (FACT-Taxane), Cancer Fatigue Scale (CFS) and EuroQol 5-Dimension (EQ-5D). Comparisons were performed with mixed-model repeated measures (MMRM). Results: A total of 141 patients were enrolled in the parent study, and 136 (96%) (44, 45 and 47 in the SD, MD, and LD groups) were included in the analysis. MMRM analysis showed that the difference from the baseline FACT-Taxane trial outcome index at MD and LD were significantly higher than that at SD (MD vs. SD P < 0.001, LD vs. SD P < 0.001). Differences from baseline for FACT-Taxane total, physical and emotional well-being, and taxane subscale scores at MD and LD were also higher than at SD. The difference from baseline for the CFS score at LD was lower than at SD (P = 0.013) and those for EQ-5D utility scores at MD and LD were higher than at SD (MD vs. SD P = 0.011, LD vs. SD P < 0.001). Conclusion: QoL of patients treated with 220 or 180 mg/m2 of q3w nab-PTX was significantly better than that of patients treated with 260 mg/m2. Trial registration: The protocol was registered at the website of the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN), Japan (protocol ID: UMIN000015516), on 01/11/2014. Details are available at the following address: https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000017916 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We have previously demonstrated S-1 is non-inferior to taxane with respect to overall survival as first-line chemotherapy for HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. We aimed to confirm whether S-1 is also non-inferior to anthracycline-containing regimens in the same setting.Methods: We conducted an open-label, non-inferiority, Phase 3 study. Individuals who had HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer, had received no chemotherapy for advanced disease and had endocrine therapy resistance, were randomly assigned to the anthracycline-containing regimens or S-1. The primary endpoint was overall survival. A pre-planned combined analysis of our two Phase 3 studies was also carried out.Results: We enrolled 230 patients (anthracycline, n = 115; S-1, n = 115). Median overall survival was 30.1 months (95% CI 24.9-35.8) with the S-1 group and 33.7 months (95% CI 25.5-36.9) with the anthracycline group. The HR for the anthracycline group was 1.09 (95% CI 0.80-1.48). The combined analysis constituted 814 patients (395 assigned to standard treatment (anthracycline or taxane); 419 assigned to S-1). Median overall survival was 36.3 months in the standard treatment group and 32.7 months in the S-1 group. S-1 was non-inferior to standard treatment in terms of overall survival (HR 1.06 (95% CI 0.90-1.25); P non-inferiority = 0.0062).Conclusions: S-1 could be considered a new treatment option for first-line chemotherapy for patients with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer.Clinical Trial Registration: The University Hospital Medical Information Network, Japan: UMIN000005449. This trial was registered on 15 April, 2011. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This was a Japanese subpopulation analysis of MONARCH 2, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study of abemaciclib plus fulvestrant in patients with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative advanced breast cancer (ABC). Methods: Eligible women had progressed on (neo)adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET), ≤ 12 months from end of adjuvant ET, or on first-line ET for ABC, and had not received chemotherapy for ABC. Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive abemaciclib or placebo plus fulvestrant. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), pharmacokinetics (PK), health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and safety. Results: In Japan, 95 patients were randomized (abemaciclib, n = 64; placebo, n = 31). At final PFS analysis (February 14, 2017), median PFS was 21.2 and 14.3 months, respectively, in the abemaciclib and placebo groups (hazard ratio: 0.672; 95% confidence interval: 0.380–1.189). Abemaciclib had a higher objective response rate (37.5%) than placebo (12.9%). PK and safety profiles for Japanese patients were consistent with those of the overall population, without clinically meaningful differences across most HRQoL dimensions evaluated. The most frequent adverse events in the abemaciclib versus placebo groups were diarrhea (95.2 versus 25.8%), neutropenia (79.4 versus 0%), and leukopenia (66.7 versus 0%). At a second data cutoff (June 20, 2019), median OS was not reached with abemaciclib and 47.3 months with placebo (hazard ratio: 0.755; 95% confidence interval: 0.390–1.463). Conclusions: Results of the Japanese subpopulation were consistent with the improved clinical outcomes and manageable safety profile observed in the overall population. Clinical trial registration: NCT02107703; U.S. National Library of Medicine: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02107703. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate whether postoperative adjuvant trastuzumab plus chemotherapy negatively affected cognitive functioning during the post-chemotherapy period compared with trastuzumab monotherapy in older patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. Methods: In the randomized RESPECT trial, women aged between 70 and 80 years with HER2-positive, stage I to IIIA invasive breast cancer who underwent curative operation were randomly assigned to receive either 1-year trastuzumab monotherapy or 1-year trastuzumab plus chemotherapy. Cognitive functioning was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) test at enrollment and 1 and 3 years after initiation of the protocol treatment. The primary outcome was change in the MMSE total score from baseline. Secondary outcomes included prevalence of suspected mild cognitive impairment (MMSE total score < 28) and suspected dementia (MMSE total score < 24). Results: The analytical population consisted of 29 and 26 patients in the trastuzumab monotherapy and trastuzumab plus chemotherapy groups, respectively. The group differences in mean changes of the MMSE total score were 0.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] − 0.3 to 1.6) at 1 year and 0.9 (95% CI − 1.0 to 2.8) at 3 years (P = 0.136 for the group difference pooling the two visits). The prevalence of suspected mild cognitive impairment at 3 years was 41.7% in the trastuzumab monotherapy group and 28.6% in the trastuzumab plus chemotherapy group (P = 0.548). Conclusion: This randomized sub-study did not show worse cognitive functioning during the post-chemotherapy period with trastuzumab plus chemotherapy than with trastuzumab monotherapy in older patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. Trial registration number: NCT01104935 (first posted April 16, 2010). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It was reported that eribulin regulates the tumor microenvironment, including the immune system, by inducing vascular remodeling. Lymphocyte counts are a critical index of immune response in patients. The non-Asian, global EMBRACE study has suggested that baseline absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) may be a predictor of the survival benefit of eribulin in breast cancer patients. We examined whether the baseline ALC is a potential predictor of overall survival (OS) in Japanese patients with HER2-negative advanced breast cancer treated with eribulin. Methods: This was a post hoc analysis of data from a post-marketing observational study of eribulin in Japan. The OS by baseline ALC was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method, with the cut-off value of 1500/μL for ALC. The OS by baseline neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a general prognostic index in breast cancer patients, was also estimated, with the cut-off value of 3. Results: The median OS was longer in patients with an ALC of ≥ 1500/μL than in those with an ALC of < 1500/μL (19.4 vs. 14.3 months; hazard ratio [HR]: 0.628; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.492, 0.801). Patients with an NLR of ≥ 3 showed shorter OS than those with an NLR of < 3 (13.2 vs. 18.8 months; HR: 1.552; 95% CI 1.254, 1.921), and NLR also separated OS in patients with an ALC of < 1500/μL. Conclusions: Consistent with the findings of a previous study involving a non-Asian, Western population, our study suggested that baseline ALC may be a predictive factor for the survival benefit of eribulin in Japanese patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the double-blind, phase 3 PALOMA-2 and PALOMA-3 studies, palbociclib plus endocrine therapy (ET) demonstrated significant improvement in progression-free survival versus placebo plus ET in patients with hormone receptor‒positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2‒negative advanced breast cancer. This analysis assessed subsequent treatment patterns after palbociclib therapy in Japanese patients enrolled in the PALOMA-2 and PALOMA-3 studies. Methods: PALOMA-2 included postmenopausal women who had not received prior systemic therapy for advanced disease. PALOMA-3 included pre- or postmenopausal women who had progressed on previous ET. Types of subsequent therapy were assessed, and treatment durations of subsequent therapy were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results: Japanese patients were enrolled in PALOMA-2 (n = 46) and PALOMA-3 (n = 35). In both studies, the most common first subsequent therapy was ET (PALOMA-2, 77% in the palbociclib group and 75% in the placebo group; PALOMA-3, 55% and 43%, respectively), followed by chemotherapy (PALOMA-2, 18% and 8%; PALOMA-3, 32% and 57%). The median (95% CI) duration of first subsequent therapy was 6.4 (2.3‒13.9) months with palbociclib plus letrozole and 6.7 (2.8‒13.0) months with placebo plus letrozole in PALOMA-2 and 3.8 (2.4‒5.7) months with palbociclib plus fulvestrant and 9.7 (1.0‒not estimable) months with placebo plus fulvestrant in PALOMA-3. Conclusions: The types of first subsequent therapy received by Japanese patients in the palbociclib plus ET and placebo plus ET groups were similar. Further evaluation of subsequent therapy data in the real-world setting is warranted considering the small sample size of this analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background Data on eribulin as the first- or second-line treatment in a clinical setting, especially the overall survival (OS) of patients, are scarce. Therefore, we assessed the effectiveness and safety of eribulin as the first-, second-, and third- or later-line treatments in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer in Japan. Methods This multicenter, prospective, post-marketing, observational study enrolled patients from September 2014 to February 2016 in Japan and followed them for 2 years. Patients were categorized by eribulin use into the first-, second-, and third- or later-line treatment groups. Results Of 651 registered patients, 637 patients were included in the safety and effectiveness analysis. In all, first-, second-, and third or later-line treatment groups, median OS (95% confidence interval) were 15.6 (13.8–17.6), 22.8 (17.3–31.0), 16.3 (12.4–19.9), and 12.6 (11.2–15.1) months and time to treatment failure (TTF) (95% confidence interval) were 4.2 (3.7–4.4), 5.2 (3.7–5.9), 4.2 (3.7–5.1), and 3.8 (3.5–4.2) months, respectively. Prolonged TTF was associated with complications of diabetes and the development of peripheral neuropathy after eribulin treatment, according to multivariate Cox regression analysis. Grade ≥ 3 adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were reported in 61.7% of the patients. Neutropenia (49.5%) was the most common grade ≥ 3 ADR in all groups. Conclusions The effectiveness and safety results of eribulin as the first- or second-line treatment were favorable. Thus, these suggest eribulin may be a first-line treatment candidate for patients with HER2-negative advanced breast cancer in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Second-line endocrine therapy (ET) for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is offered based on the response to first-line ET. However, no clinical trials have evaluated the efficacy and safety of secondary ETs in patients with poor responses to initial ET. This study evaluated the efficacy of second-line ET in ER-positive and HER2-negative postmenopausal MBC patients with low or very low sensitivity to initial ET. Methods: This multicenter prospective observational cohort study evaluated the response of 49 patients to second-line ETs in postmenopausal MBC patients with low or very low sensitivity to initial ET. The primary endpoint was the clinical benefit rate (CBR) for 24 weeks. Results: Of the 49 patients assessed, 40 (82%) received fulvestrant in the second line, 5 (10%) received selective estrogen receptor modulators, 3 (6%) received aromatase inhibitors (AIs) alone, and 1 received everolimus with a steroidal AI. The overall CBR was 44.9% [90% confidence interval (CI): 34.6–57.6, p = 0.009]; CBR demonstrated similar significance across the progesterone receptor-positive (n = 39, 51.3%, 90% CI: 39.6–65.2, p = 0.002), very low sensitivity (n = 17, 58.8%, 90% CI: 42.0–78.8, p = 0.003), and non-visceral metastases (n = 25, 48.0%, 90% CI: 34.1–65.9, p = 0.018) groups. The median progression-free survival was 7.1 months (95% CI: 5.6–10.6). Conclusion: Second-line ET might be a viable treatment option for postmenopausal patients with MBC with low and very low sensitivity to initial ET. Future studies based on larger and independent cohorts are needed to validate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea (CIA) is one of the critical side effects from the chemotherapy in premenopausal patients with breast cancer. The goals of our study are the following: (1) to investigate the factors affecting the incidence of CIA; and (2) to evaluate the prognostic role of CIA in premenopausal patients with breast cancer. Methods: We conducted a post hoc retrospective substudy to examine the incidence of the CIA and the relationship between CIA and prognosis in NSAS-BC02 that compared taxane alone to Doxorubicin(A) Cyclophosphamide(C) followed by taxane in postoperative patients with node-positive breast cancer Results: Of 395 premenopausal women, 287 (72.7%) had CIA due to protocol treatment. Regarding type of protocol regimen, proportion of CIA was 76.9% in AC Paclitaxel(P), 75.2% in AC Docetaxel(D), 62.8% in PTX, and 75.2% in DTX. Predictive factors of CIA were age increase by 5 years (OR 1.50), ER positivity (OR 2.08), and HER2 3 + (OR 0.40) according to logistic regression analysis. According to the log rank test and the Cox proportional hazards model, CIA group had significantly better disease-free survival than non-CIA group (P <.0001). However, according to time-dependent Cox model that was used to reduce guarantee-time bias, CIA was not a statistically significant prognostic factor in both ER-positive and ER-negative patients. Conclusion: Treatment with taxane alone caused high frequency of CIA in premenopausal women with breast cancer. CIA did not turn out to be an independent prognostic factor, taking guarantee-time bias into consideration. Further clinical studies are needed to validate these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effectiveness of a therapeutic strategy that switches chemotherapy, based on Ki-67 tumour expression after initial therapy, relative to that of standard chemotherapy, has not been evaluated.Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to the control arm or the Ki-67 response-guided arm (Ki-67 arm). Primary tumour biopsies were obtained before treatment, and after three once-weekly doses of paclitaxel and trastuzumab to assess the interim Ki-67 index. In the control arm, paclitaxel and trastuzumab were continued for a total of 12 doses, regardless of the interim Ki-67 index. In the Ki-67 arm, subsequent treatment was based on the interim Ki-67 index. Ki-67 early responder is defined as the absolute Ki-67 value that was <10%, and the percentage of Ki-67-positive tumour cells was reduced by >30% compared with before treatment. Early Ki-67 responders continued to receive the same treatment, while early Ki-67 non-responders were switched to epirubicin plus cyclophosphamide. The primary endpoint was the pathological complete response (pCR) rate.Results: A total of 237 patients were randomised. There was almost linear correlation between the Ki-67 reduction rate at interim assessment and the pCR rate. The pCR rate in Ki-67 early non-responders in the Ki-67 arm was inferior to that in the control arm (44.1%; 31.4-56.7; P = 0.025).Conclusions: The standard chemotherapy protocol remains as the recommended strategy for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.Clinical Trial Registration: Clinical Trial Registration: UMIN-CTR as UMIN000007074. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The histological classification of breast tumors by the General Rule Committee of the Japanese Breast Cancer Society has been revised in the General Rules for Clinical and Pathological Recording of Breast Cancer (18th edition). In this article, the contents of the General Rules 18th edition are presented, and its revised points are briefly described in comparison with the classification of the General Rules 17th edition. The present classification takes into consideration the classification of breast tumors by the World Health Organization 4th edition, however, some differences remain. These differences will be briefly mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor palbociclib, in combination with endocrine therapy (ET), significantly prolonged progression-free survival in women with hormone receptor–positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative advanced breast cancer (HR+/HER2− ABC) in PALOMA-2 and PALOMA-3. Neutropenia and palbociclib dose reductions/interruptions occurred more frequently in the Japanese versus overall populations. We evaluated neutropenia patterns, palbociclib dose management, and clinical responses after dose reduction in Japanese patients in PALOMA-2 and PALOMA-3 and a single-arm Japanese phase 2 study. Methods: PALOMA-2 and the Japanese phase 2 study enrolled postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor–positive, HER2− ABC who had not received prior systemic therapy for advanced disease; PALOMA-3 enrolled women with HR+/HER2− ABC, regardless of menopausal status, whose disease had progressed after prior ET. Palbociclib (125 mg/day) was administered 3 weeks on/1 week off. Dose reduction/interruption, cycle delay, tumor response, and laboratory-assessed neutropenia were analyzed in Japanese patients who received palbociclib. Results: A total of 101 Japanese patients received palbociclib + ET. Among Japanese patients in the 3 studies, the frequency of all-grade/grade 3/grade 4 neutropenia was 94%/53%/34%, 100%/69%/21%, and 100%/67%/26%, respectively. Twenty (63%), 28 (67%), and 15 (56%) patients required palbociclib dose reduction. Dose interruption or reduction did not affect palbociclib treatment duration, and durable tumor response was observed despite dose reduction. Conclusion: Neutropenia was manageable with dose modifications, without affecting palbociclib treatment duration or efficacy. Trial registration: Pfizer (NCT01740427, NCT01684215, NCT01942135). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: While some studies show improved outcomes in clinical trial participants as compared to non-participants, existence of such a trial effect has not been proved precisely. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study to compare the prognoses for participants in the randomized controlled trial (SELECT BC) and non-participants. SELECT BC compared S-1 and taxane as first-line treatment for metastatic breast cancer. Non-participants were all patients who met the eligibility criteria of SELECT BC and who had been requested to participate in that trial by attending doctors and declined. The study aimed to compare the prognoses between participants and non-participants. The primary endpoint was median overall survival. Results: The median OS in participants was significantly superior to that in non-participants with a statistically significant difference (36.8 months vs. 25.2 months. HR 1.48, p = 0.022). A similar result was obtained when only patients who received the same chemotherapy (S-1 or taxane) used in SELECT BC after declining participation were assumed as non-participants (36.8 months vs. 22.0 months. HR 2.03, p = 0.006). Conclusions: This study may suggest the existence of a trial effect, in which, for a given treatment, participation in a clinical trial is associated with a better outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: NK105 is a novel nanoparticle drug delivery formulation that encapsulates paclitaxel (PTX) in polymeric micelles. We conducted an open-label phase III non-inferiority trial to compare the efficacy and safety of NK105 and PTX in metastatic or recurrent breast cancer.Methods: Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either NK105 (65 mg/m2) or PTX (80 mg/m2) on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), with a non-inferiority margin of 1.215.Results: A total of 436 patients were randomised and 211 patients in each group were included in the efficacy analysis. The median PFS was 8.4 and 8.5 months for NK105 and PTX, respectively (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.255; 95% confidence interval: 0.989-1.592). The median overall survival and overall response rates were 31.2 vs. 36.2 months and 31.6% vs. 39.0%, respectively. The two groups exhibited similar safety profiles. The incidence of peripheral sensory neuropathy (PSN) was 1.4% vs. 7.5% (≥Grade 3) for NK105 and PTX, respectively. The patient-reported outcomes of PSN were significantly favourable for NK105 (P < 0.0001).Conclusions: The primary endpoint was not met, but NK105 had a better PSN toxicity profile than PTX.Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01644890. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In PALOMA-2, palbociclib-letrozole significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) vs placebo-letrozole in women with estrogen receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (ER+/HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC) in the first-line setting. We evaluated the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of palbociclib in Japanese women in PALOMA-2.Methods: In this phase 3 study, 666 postmenopausal women with ER+/HER2- ABC were randomized 2:1 to palbociclib (125 mg/day [3 weeks on/1 week off]) plus letrozole (2.5 mg daily) or placebo plus letrozole. A prespecified, exploratory, subgroup analysis of Japanese patients (n = 46) was conducted to compare results with those of the overall population.Results: At the February 26, 2016 cutoff, median PFS among the 46 Japanese patients was 22.2 months (95%CI, 13.6‒not estimable) with palbociclib-letrozole vs 13.8 months (5.6‒22.2) with placebo-letrozole (hazard ratio, 0.59 [95%CI, 0.26−1.34]). The most common adverse events (AEs) were hematologic and more frequent among Japanese patients than the overall population (neutropenia: 93.8% [87.5% grade 3/4] vs 79.5% [66.4%]; leukopenia: 62.5% [43.8%] vs 39.0% [24.8%]); no Japanese patients had febrile neutropenia. Palbociclib dose reductions due to toxicity (mainly neutropenia) were more common in Japanese patients (62.5% vs 36.0%); few permanently discontinued due to AEs. Although mean palbociclib trough concentration was higher in Japanese patients vs non-Asians (95.4 vs 61.7 ng/mL), the range of individual values of the Japanese patients was within that of non-Asians.Conclusions: These results from PALOMA-2 suggest that palbociclib-letrozole merits consideration as a first-line treatment option for postmenopausal Japanese patients with ER+/HER2‒ ABC. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01740427. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the double-blind, phase 3 PALOMA-3 study, palbociclib-fulvestrant significantly prolonged progression-free survival versus placebo-fulvestrant in patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) whose disease had progressed on prior endocrine therapy. The present study evaluated the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of palbociclib plus fulvestrant in Japanese patients enrolled in PALOMA-3.Methods: Pre/peri/postmenopausal women with HR+/HER2- MBC were randomized 2:1 to fulvestrant (500 mg) and either palbociclib (125 mg/day; 3 weeks on/1 week off; n = 347) or placebo (n = 174). Prespecified exploratory analyses compared the efficacy (data cutoff: October 23, 2015), safety, and pharmacokinetics (data cutoff: December 5, 2014) in Japanese women versus the overall population.Results: A total of 35 Japanese women were randomized to palbociclib-fulvestrant (n = 27) or placebo-fulvestrant (n = 8). Median progression-free survival was 13.6 months (95% CI, 7.5-not estimable) in the Japanese palbociclib-fulvestrant group and 11.2 months (95% CI, 5.6-not estimable) in the placebo-fulvestrant group. The most common adverse event (AE) in Japanese patients was neutropenia (all grades, 93%); no discontinuations were due to an AE. Geometric mean trough concentration values (within-subject mean steady state) for palbociclib were similar for Japanese Asian (excluding Japanese), and non-Asian patients (84.4 ng/mL, 86.3 ng/mL, and 74.8 ng/mL, respectively).Conclusion(s): The results for the overall population and Japanese patients in PALOMA-3 suggest that palbociclib plus fulvestrant was effective and well tolerated in Japanese patients with HR+/HER2‒ MBC whose disease had progressed on prior endocrine therapy (Pfizer; NCT01942135). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of adverse events (AEs) on health utility and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with metastatic breast cancer undergoing first-line chemotherapy.Methods: We analyzed the data from the SELECT BC study, a multicenter, open-label, randomized, phase III study conducted in Japan, which compared first-line S-1 with taxane therapies. Heath utility and HRQOL were assessed using the EQ-5D-3L and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment initiation. Health utility was calculated based on societal preferences, and AEs were reported at each cycle of the study treatment. Linear marginal mean models were used to quantify the impact of the last AEs (with 10 or more incidences) observed before HRQOL assessment on health utility and HRQOL.Results: Analysis included 380 patients and 12 (of 15) AEs. Grade 1 nausea and oral mucositis, grade 1 and 2 edema, and grade 2 fatigue, motor and sensory neuropathy, and myalgia were significantly associated with disutility, measured using the EQ-5D-3L. Grade 1 oral mucositis, grade 1 and 2 fatigue, and grade 2 sensory neuropathy were significantly associated with impaired global health status in the EORTC QLQ-C30. AEs associated with decrements in the five functioning scales included fatigue, oral mucositis, nausea, edema, motor and sensory neuropathy, and myalgia.Conclusions: We reported disutilities caused by AEs in patients with metastatic breast cancer under chemotherapy. These findings can be applied to future model-based cost-effectiveness analyses.Trial Registration Number: C000000416. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although there are a large number of epidemiological studies investigating the etiological role of lifestyle factors in breast cancer, there are few studies on the association between lifestyle factors and breast cancer prognosis. To investigate the influence of lifestyle factors such as diet and physical activity, use of complementary and alternative medicine, and psychosocial factors on prognosis, we designed a large-scale cohort study of female breast cancer patients in Japan. Methods: The planned sample size is 7200. The cohort is being conducted in collaboration with several clinical trials, a cancer registry, and daily practice. Information on clinical factors, treatment, and follow-up will be obtained from the clinical trials and participating hospitals. A self-administered questionnaire is given to subjects before, immediately after, or 1 to 5 years after surgery. Blood and tissue samples are also collected. The primary endpoint is disease-free survival. The secondary endpoints are overall survival and health-related quality of life. The follow-up period will be at least 5 years after the last participant is enrolled. Recruitment began in November 2007. Current status: As of April 2017, there are 5852 patients enrolled in the study along with 1430 biological samples and the study is still ongoing. The number of subjects enrolled in the study is already the largest in the world. Conclusions: The ROK study will provide much important evidence for breast cancer survivorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The degree of pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) was correlated with the prognosis in breast cancer. There are few studies published on inter-observer variability in the assessment of pathological responses among pathologists. Methods: We collected 64 surgically resected specimens from patients who had received NAC. Three pathologists assessed the pathological responses and classified them into 7 grades according to grading system of the Japanese Breast Cancer Society. The levels of concordance among pathologists were categorized into 3 classes: full concordance (all pathologists gave the same grade), partial concordance (two of them gave the same grade), and discordance (all three gave different grades). The inter-observer agreement among pathologists was estimated using the percentage concordance and Cohen's kappa statistics. Results: Full concordance, partial concordance, and discordance were seen in 28 (43%), 33 (52%), and 3 (5%) specimens, respectively. In most of partial concordance specimens (30 out of 33), the pathological response grades differed by only one level. The kappa value was 0.59. The concordance rate with regard to pCR was 97%. Conclusions: Most of the judgments among pathologists differed within one level, but there is room for improving harmonization in the assessment of pathological responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This trial assessed the safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of darolutamide (ODM-201), a new-generation nonsteroidal androgen receptor antagonist, in Japanese patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).Methods: In this open-label, nonrandomized, two-cohort, dose-escalating phase 1 study, Japanese patients with mCRPC were enrolled after a screening period. In the single-dose period (≈1 week), darolutamide was administered at 300 mg (Cohort 1) or 600 mg (Cohort 2) on day -5 (fasting state) and day -2 (fed condition). In the subsequent multiple-dose period (fed condition), patients received darolutamide 300 mg twice daily (Cohort 1) or 600 mg twice daily (Cohort 2) for 12 weeks. Primary endpoints: evaluate safety and pharmacokinetics of darolutamide.Results: Of 12 patients enrolled, 9 received darolutamide (Cohort 1, n = 3; Cohort 2, n = 6). All 9 patients experienced ≥1 treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE; majority Grade 1/2). Incidence of drug-related TEAEs (DR-TEAEs) was 44% (all grades; n = 4); most common DR-TEAE was decreased appetite (22%), and 1 serious DR-TEAE (Grade 3 nausea) was observed. No Grade ≥4 DR-TEAEs or new safety signals were observed. C max and AUC (0-t last) were dose-dependent; pharmacokinetics of each dose appeared to be linear over time. Prostate-specific antigen response was observed in 11% (1/9) of patients. Compared with fasting status, geometric mean C max increased 2.5-fold after 300 mg and 2.8-fold after 600 mg; geometric mean AUC (0-t last) increased 2.5-fold after both doses under fed conditions.Conclusions: Darolutamide was well tolerated at the examined doses in Japanese patients with mCRPC, without differences in safety and pharmacokinetics relative to Western patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background This large-scale study was conducted to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of eribulin for the treatment of inoperable or recurrent breast cancer in real-world settings in Japan. Methods Between July and December 2011, eligible patients with inoperable or recurrent breast cancer receiving eribulin for the first time were centrally registered and observed for 1 year. Eribulin was administered intravenously (1.4 mg/m) on days 1 and 8 of every 3-week cycle. The primary endpoint was the frequency and intensity of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Secondary endpoints included overall response rate (ORR) and time to treatment failure (TTF). Results Of 968 patients registered at 325 institutions, 951 and 671 were included in the safety and effectiveness analyses, respectively. In the safety population, ADRs were observed in 841 patients (88.4%). The most common (≥15% incidence) were neutropenia (66.6%), leukopenia (62.4%), lymphopenia (18.4%), and peripheral neuropathy (16.8%). The most common grade ≥ 3 ADRs (>5% incidence) were neutropenia (59.8%), leukopenia (50.5%), lymphopenia (16.1%), and febrile neutropenia (7.7%). In the effectiveness population, ORR was 16.5% (95% confidence interval: 13.7, 19.4). The median TTF was 127 days (95% confidence interval: 120, 134). Conclusions The safety and effectiveness profile of eribulin was consistent with prior studies. Eribulin had a favorable risk-benefit balance when used in real-world clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background K-912 also known as NC-6300 is a novel epirubicin pro-drug conjugate developed using micellar nanoparticle technology. We conducted a first-in-human, Phase 1, open-label, non-randomized dose escalation study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of K-912 administered as monotherapy in patients with advanced or recurrent solid tumors. Methods Patients aged 41 to 72 years with histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced or recurrent malignant solid tumors either refractory to standard therapy or had no other viable treatment options were enrolled. K-912 was administered as a 10-min intravenous infusion every three weeks. Doses were increased in a step-wise manner based on a predetermined series: 15, 30, 60, 80, 100, 130, 170, and 225 mg/m. The appropriateness of doses above 60 mg/m was assessed using a Bayesian continual reassessment model. Treatment-emergent adverse events and tumor response were evaluated according to internationally accepted criteria. Results Nineteen patients were treated with K-912. No additional adverse events expected with anthracyclines were observed. While the number of patients treated at the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) were small, MTD and RP2D were established to be 170 mg/m. Partial response was observed in one patient with breast cancer treated at 100 mg/m, yielding an objective response rate of 5% (1/19). Stable disease was observed in 10 patients. The human pharmacokinetic profile of K-912 was consistent with that observed from nonclinical studies in rats and monkeys. Conclusions This study showed that K-912 was well tolerated in patients with various solid tumors and exhibited less toxicity than conventional epirubicin formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is one of the standard treatment for patients with operable and locally advanced breast cancer. Pathological response after NAC has been assessed according to the Japanese Breast Cancer Society (JBCS) classification in Japan. This classification that was first established in 1998 and revised in 2007 has been used in routine clinical practice in Japan. In the present study, we investigated whether the assessment of pathological response according to this classification could stratify the long-term outcome of patients with breast cancer. Methods: Patients with breast cancer who had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy between January 2003 and December 2005 in 6 hospitals participating in this study were identified. Patients whose response was judged to be Grade 2 was reassessed into Grades 2a and 2b according to the updated JBCS classification revised in 2007. Then, the association of pathological response and recurrence-free survival (RFS) was analyzed. Results: 635 patients received NAC and 154 relapses (24 %) were observed during a median follow-up of 41.5 months (range 4.2-69.5 months). There was a statistically significant difference in RFS among each pathological response. 5-year RFS of patients with Grade 3 without residual ductal carcinoma in situ was 94 %. 5-year RFS were 88 % in Grade 3, 95 % in Grade 2b, 80 % in Grade 2a, 73 % in Grade 1b, 67 % in Grade 1a, 59 % in Grade 0, respectively. Conclusions: An outcome could be stratified by assessing tumor burden following NAC according to the JBCS classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We previously reported the pharmacokinetic profile and preliminary tolerability of cabazitaxel in a phase I study in Japanese patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Here we report the final safety profile and anti-tumor activity of cabazitaxel in a larger population, including all patients enrolled in the expansion cohort of the study. Methods: Japanese patients with mCRPC previously treated with docetaxel received cabazitaxel intravenously every 3 weeks plus daily prednisolone. In patients treated with the maximum tolerated dose of 25 mg/m we evaluated adverse events including treatment-related neutropenia, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response and objective response. Results: In total, 44 patients were treated with the maximum tolerated dose. The most frequent adverse events (any grade) were neutropenia (100 %), febrile neutropenia (54.5 %), fatigue (54.5 %), nausea (52.3 %) and diarrhea (50.0 %). There were no deaths due to treatment-related adverse events. Neutropenia with prior docetaxel did not appear to influence the probability of febrile neutropenia with cabazitaxel. Most patients received therapeutic granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF; cycle 1: 86.4 %; cycle 2 or later: 81.8 %). In the efficacy population, two of 12 patients with measurable disease had partial response (objective response rate: 16.7 %), while 10 had stable disease. PSA response rate was 29.3 % (12/41 patients). Median time to PSA progression was 3.68 months (95 % confidence interval 1.35-4.63). Conclusions: In this heavily pretreated Japanese population, the occurrence of neutropenia and febrile neutropenia was high, suggesting G-CSF prophylaxis may be required as part of toxicity management. However, the efficacy of cabazitaxel was consistent with global studies. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01324583. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This phase I trial assessed afatinib, an irreversible ErbB family blocker, plus vinorelbine in Japanese patients with advanced solid tumors not amenable to standard treatment.Methods: Primary objectives were evaluation of safety and the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of once-daily (QD) afatinib plus weekly intravenous vinorelbine. Secondary objectives included pharmacokinetic assessments and preliminary efficacy. Dose finding utilized a 3 + 3 design, with a starting dose of afatinib 20 mg QD plus vinorelbine 25 mg/m(2) weekly.Results: Seventeen patients were enrolled. Dose level 2 (afatinib 40 mg and vinorelbine 25 mg/m(2)) exceeded the MTD; dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) were considered vinorelbine-related. Dose finding continued with modified dose levels; dose level 2a: afatinib 40 mg and a reduced dose of vinorelbine 20 mg/m(2) and dose level 3: afatinib 40 mg and vinorelbine 25 mg/m(2) allowing omission of vinorelbine for grade ≥2 neutropenia/thrombocytopenia and afatinib dose modification for adverse events (AEs). At dose level 3, 1/6 patients had a DLT (upper abdominal pain requiring afatinib dose reduction). Overall, the most frequent treatment-related AEs (any/grade 3 and 4) were: neutropenia (100/71 %), leukopenia (100/59 %), diarrhea (94/0 %), anemia (71/12 %) and stomatitis (65/0 %). Two patients with breast cancer achieved a partial response; eight patients (various cancer indications) had stable disease. Pharmacokinetic analyses suggested no relevant drug-drug interactions.Conclusions: Afatinib 40 mg QD plus vinorelbine 25 mg/m(2) weekly was tolerated in Japanese patients when dose modifications for known AEs for either compound were allowed. Tumor shrinkage was also observed. This dose schedule was recommended for phase II/III trials in Japanese patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The results from a phase III trial conducted outside of Japan demonstrated a significant improvement in time to progression (TTP) when lapatinib was combined with capecitabine compared with capecitabine alone in patients with HER2-positive advanced or metastatic breast cancer. In this clinical study of lapatinib in combination with capecitabine, efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics (PK) and biomarkers were investigated in Japanese patients with HER2-positive advanced or metastatic breast cancer treated with prior trastuzumab. Methods: Eligible women received lapatinib 1250 mg once daily and capecitabine 1000 mg/m twice daily on days 1 through 14 of a 21-day cycle. The primary endpoint was the clinical benefit rate (CBR: complete response, partial response or stable disease for at least 24 weeks). Results: Lapatinib in combination with capecitabine was well tolerated in the 51 patients enrolled in this study. CBR was 59 % (95 % CI 44.2, 72.4), and the median TTP in the Kaplan-Meier estimate was 36 weeks (95 % CI 27.1, 48.0). The majority of drug-related adverse events were mild to moderate (grade 1 or 2); the most common adverse events reported were palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome (76 %), diarrhea (67 %) and stomatitis (41 %). Conclusions: Lapatinib in combination with capecitabine in Japanese HER2-positive breast cancer patients was well tolerated. Overall, our findings on the efficacy, safety and PK were similar to those reported from the overseas studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eribulin mesylate (Halaven®) is a novel inhibitor of microtubule dynamics that has demonstrated a survival benefit in patients with locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer who previously received at least two chemotherapeutic regimens including an anthracycline and a taxane. Although trastuzumab is indicated for patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2+) breast cancer, a phase 1 study to evaluate tolerability/safety of eribulin mesylate with trastuzumab has not been conducted. Therefore, a study of eribulin mesylate in combination with trastuzumab was conducted to evaluate dose limiting toxicity (DLT), tolerability/safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and efficacy and to estimate the recommended dose in Japanese patients with advanced or recurrent HER2+ breast cancer. Eribulin mesylate (1.4 mg/m) was administered on days 1 and 8 of every 3 week cycle. Trastuzumab was administered with a 4 mg/kg loading dose followed by 2 mg/kg weekly doses or with an 8 mg/kg loading dose followed by 6 mg/kg tri-weekly doses. A total of 12 patients (six for each regimen) received eribulin mesylate and trastuzumab. No DLT was observed and the recommended dose of eribulin mesylate in combination with trastuzumab was estimated as 1.4 mg/m. Common adverse events were neutropenia, leukopenia, anaemia and alopecia. This combination therapy was well tolerated and the neutropenia observed was manageable. No PK drug-drug interaction between eribulin and trastuzumab was observed. Since a transient ejection fraction decreased was observed in two patients, cardiac function should be routinely assessed in patients receiving the combination therapy of eribulin mesylate with trastuzumab (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01432886). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]