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Introduction: Carcinogenesis is driven by an array of complex genomic patterns; these patterns can render an individual resistant or sensitive to certain chemotherapy agents. The Personalized Oncogenomics (POG) project at BC Cancer has performed integrative genomic analysis of whole tumour genomes and transcriptomes for over 700 patients with advanced cancers, with an aim to predict therapeutic sensitivities. The aim of this study was to utilize the POG genomic data to evaluate a discrete set of biomarkers associated with chemo-sensitivity or-resistance in advanced stage breast and colorectal cancer POG patients. Methods: This was a retrospective multi-centre analysis across all BC CANCER sites. All breast and colorectal cancer patients enrolled in the POG program between July 1, 2012 and November 30, 2016 were eligible for inclusion. Within the breast cancer population, those treated with capecitabine, paclitaxel, and everolimus were analyzed, and for the colorectal cancer patients, those treated with capecitabine, bevacizumab, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin were analyzed. The expression levels of the selected biomarkers of interest (EPHB4, FIGF, CD133, DICER1, DPYD, TYMP, TYMS, TAP1, TOP1, CKDN1A, ERCC1, GSTP1, BRCA1, PTEN, ABCB1, TLE3, and TXNDC17) were reported as mRNA percentiles. Results: For the breast cancer population, there were 32 patients in the capecitabine cohort, 15 in the everolimus cohort, and 12 in the paclitaxel cohort. For the colorectal cancer population, there were 29 patients in the bevacizumab cohort, 12 in the oxaliplatin cohort, 29 in the irinotecan cohort, and 6 in the capecitabine cohort. Of the biomarkers evaluated, the strongest associations were found between Bevacizumab-based therapy and DICER1 (P = 0.0445); and between capecitabine therapy and TYMP (P = 0.0553). Conclusions: Among breast cancer patients, higher TYMP expression was associated with sensitivity to capecitabine. Among colorectal cancer patients, higher DICER1 expression was associated with sensitivity to bevacizumab-based therapy. This study supports further assessment of the potential predictive value of mRNA expression of these genomic biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The BYLieve trial (NCT03056755) confirmed efficacy and safety of alpelisib with fulvestrant for hormone receptor–positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor‐2–negative (HER2−), PIK3CA‐mutated advanced breast cancer (ABC), after cyclin‐dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) with an aromatase inhibitor (AI) as immediate prior therapy. Further analyses were performed to compare efficacy from BYLieve with effectiveness of standard treatment in the real‐world setting. Materials and Methods: Patients who progressed on a CDK4/6i plus AI and were treated with alpelisib with fulvestrant in BYLieve were matched with a real‐world patient cohort who received standard‐of‐care from a deidentified clinico‐genomics database (CGDB). Primary and secondary endpoints were to compare progression‐free survival (PFS), estimated by the Kaplan‐Meier method, and the proportion of patients remaining progression‐free at 6 months, respectively, between the two cohorts. Results: A total of 855 patients with PIK3CA‐mutant disease who had prior CDK4/6i plus hormone therapy were selected from the CGDB; further matching to 120 patients from BYLieve selected 95 patients without exposure to HER2‐targeting agents, clinical study drug, or alpelisib. In unadjusted and postmatching results, primary and secondary endpoints favored treatment with alpelisib with fulvestrant in BYLieve more than standard treatments in the real‐world cohort. Postadjustment, median PFS for patients treated with alpelisib in BYLieve was 7.3 versus 3.7 months in the real‐world cohort, and 6‐month PFS was 54.6% versus 40.1%, respectively. Conclusion: Matched/weighted analysis comparing BYLieve with the real‐world setting further supports the clinical benefit of alpelisib with fulvestrant for treatment of HR+, HER2−, PIK3CA‐mutant ABC after CDK4/6i treatment. Implications for Practice: Approximately 40% of patients with hormone receptor–positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor‐2–negative (HER2−) advanced breast cancer (ABC) have PIK3CA‐mutated tumors, which have been associated with endocrine therapy resistance. Alpelisib, an α‐selective phosphatidylinositol‐3‐kinase inhibitor, demonstrated significantly improved progression‐free survival in SOLAR‐1 and demonstrated clinical efficacy in BYLieve when combined with fulvestrant. Data are limited in comparing the efficacy of alpelisib combined with fulvestrant with effectiveness of standard therapy after CDK4/6i treatment. Using real‐world data, this is the first analysis comparing alpelisib combined with fulvestrant with standard treatments for HR+, HER2−, PIK3CA‐mutant ABC in the post‐CDK4/6i setting. This article reports the efficacy of treatment with alpelisib combined with fulvestrant in a cohort of patients with PIK3CA‐mutated breast cancer compared with the effectiveness of real‐world standard treatments in the post‐CDK4/6i setting using data from a deidentified clinico‐genomics database (CGDB). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer and high levels of anxiety often pursue more aggressive surgical interventions. The neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) setting could provide a window of opportunity to address patients' anxiety. However, the impact of anxiety on surgical decisions in the setting of NAT for breast cancer has not been previously studied. Materials and Methods: A prospective database of patients with breast cancer treated with NAT at BC Cancer was used to identify patients treated with NAT and subsequent surgical resection. Patients with bilateral breast cancer or BRCA mutations or those referred to the hereditary cancer program were excluded. An anxiety score of 0–3 was assigned based on responses to the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System and Psychosocial Screen for Cancer. Clinicopathological information and treatment data were retrieved and cross‐referenced between the low‐anxiety (scores 0–1) and high‐anxiety (scores 2–3) cohorts. Results: From 2012 to 2016, 203 patients met eligibility criteria. Of these, 93 patients (45.8%) had low anxiety and 110 patients (54.2%) had high anxiety. Overall, 161 patients (79.3%) had locally advanced cancers; no differences in stage, grade, or biomarkers were found between the low‐ and high‐anxiety cohorts. Patients with high self‐reported anxiety at initial consultation were younger (mean 56 years vs. 60 years; p =.011) and more likely to undergo mastectomy for breast‐conserving surgery–eligible disease and bilateral mastectomy for unilateral disease compared with those with low anxiety (37.3% vs. 18.3%; likelihood ratio 9.15; p =.002). No significant differences in treatment timelines were identified between the two cohorts. Conclusion: Patients with high anxiety at initial consultation were nine times more likely to undergo aggressive surgery compared with patients with low anxiety. These findings underscore the need for early identification of patients who may benefit from tailored supportive and educational services to address sources of anxiety and knowledge gaps. Implications for Practice: The prevalence of anxiety among women with newly diagnosed breast cancer is being increasingly acknowledged. However, health care providers have not fully appreciated the impact of anxiety on the surgical management of patients with early‐stage breast cancer. This study highlights the importance of self‐reported anxiety on surgical management. The preoperative period provides a unique window of opportunity to address sources of anxiety and provide targeted educational materials over a period of 4–6 months, which may ultimately lead to less aggressive surgery when it is not needed. This article reviews the effect of patient anxiety on decisions related to surgical treatment of early stage breast cancer and the use of self‐reported anxiety as a clinical tool to tailor educational and supportive resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) significantly decreases the risk of breast cancer recurrence and mortality. Notwithstanding the demonstrated efficacy of AET, 31-73% of breast cancer survivors do not persist with AET. The purpose of this study was to explore breast cancer survivors' experiences and perspectives of persisting with AET and to identify the psychosocial and healthcare system factors that influence AET persistence.Methods: Informed by interpretive descriptive methodology and relational autonomy theory, individual interviews were conducted with 22 women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer who had been prescribed AET. These participants also completed a demographic form and a survey that assessed their perceived risk of recurrence. Interviews were analysed using inductive thematic and constant comparative analysis to iteratively compare data and develop conceptualizations of the relationships among data. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the quantitative data.Results: The personal, social, and structural factors found to influence AET persistence included AET side effects, perception of breast cancer recurrence risk, medication and necessity beliefs, social support, the patient-provider relationship, and the continuity and frequency of follow-up care. For most women, over time, the decision-making process around AET persistence became a balancing act between quality of life and quantity of life. The interplay between the personal, social, and structural factors was complex and the weight women placed on some factors over others influenced their AET persistence or non-persistence.Conclusion: Expanding our understanding of the factors affecting breast cancer survivors' AET persistence from their perspective is the first step in developing efficacious, patient-centered interventions aimed at improving AET persistence. In order to improve AET persistence, enhanced symptom management is required, as well as the development of supportive care strategies that acknowledge the values and beliefs held by breast cancer survivors while reinforcing the benefits of AET, and addressing women's reasons for non-persistence. Improved continuity of health care and patient-healthcare provider communication across oncology and primary care settings is also required. The development and evaluation of supportive care strategies that address the challenges associated with AET experienced by breast cancer survivors hold the potential to increase both women's quality and quantity of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We report long-term efficacy and cardiac safety outcomes in patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant pertuzumab plus trastuzumab with anthracycline-containing or anthracycline-free chemotherapy. Methods Descriptive efficacy analyses were conducted in patients randomised to group A (cycles 1–6: trastuzumab [8 mg/kg loading dose and 6 mg/kg maintenance] plus pertuzumab [840 mg loading dose and 420 mg maintenance], plus 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide [FEC] [cycles 1–3; 500 mg/m 2 5-fluorouracil/100 mg/m 2 epirubicin/600 mg/m 2 cyclophosphamide] then docetaxel [cycles 4–6; 75 mg/m 2 , escalated to 100 mg/m 2 if well tolerated]), B (cycles 1–3: FEC, cycles 4–6: trastuzumab plus pertuzumab plus docetaxel as mentioned previously) or C (cycles 1–6: trastuzumab plus pertuzumab plus docetaxel [75 mg/m 2 , without dose escalation], and carboplatin [AUC 6]), five years after randomisation of the last patient. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , number NCT00976989 . Results Three-year Kaplan–Meier survival estimates for disease-free survival (DFS) were 87% (95% confidence interval: 79–95), 88% (80–96) and 90% (82–97) in groups A–C, respectively. Progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 89% (81–96), 89% (81–96) and 87% (80–95). DFS hazard ratio for total pathological complete response (tpCR) versus no tpCR was 0.27 (0.11–0.64). During post-treatment follow-up, 2/72 (2.8%), 3/75 (4.0%) and 4/76 (5.4%) patients in groups A–C had any-grade left ventricular systolic dysfunction; eight (11.1%), 12 (16.0%) and nine (11.8%) patients experienced left ventricular ejection fraction declines ≥10% from baseline to <50%. Conclusions Long-term DFS and PFS were similar between groups. Patients who achieved tpCR had improved DFS. No new safety signals were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy in women worldwide, with approximately two-thirds having hormone receptor-positive (HR+) tumors. New endocrine therapy (ET) strategies include combining ET agents as well as adding inhibitors targeting growth factors, angiogenesis, the mechanistic target of rapamycin, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), or cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 to ET. Level 1 evidence supports use of fulvestrant plus anastrozole or palbociclib plus letrozole as first-line therapy for HR+/HER− advanced BC with special consideration for the former in ET-naïve patients, as well as everolimus plus exemestane or palbociclib plus fulvestrant as second-line therapy with special consideration in select first-line patients. Although the safety profiles of these combinations are generally predictable and manageable, both everolimus and palbociclib are associated with an increased risk of potentially serious or early-onset toxicities requiring individualized a priori adverse event risk stratification, earlier and more rigorous agent-specific monitoring, and patient education. Although each of these combinations improves progression-free survival, none with the exception of anastrazole plus fulvestrant have demonstrated improved overall survival. PI3K catalytic-α mutations assessed from circulating tumor DNA represent the first potentially viable serum biomarker for the selection of ET combinations, and new data demonstrate the feasibility of this minimally invasive technique as an alternative to traditional tissue analysis. Therapeutic ratios of select ET combinations support their use in first- and second-line settings, but optimal sequencing has yet to be determined. The Oncologist 2017;22:12-24 Implications for Practice: Emerging data show that new endocrine therapy (ET) combinations can improve progression-free and overall survival outcomes in patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative (HR+/HER−) advanced breast cancer. Level 1 evidence supports consideration of dual ET regimens, particularly in ET-naïve patients, or palbociclib plus letrozole as first-line therapy, as well as the addition of mTOR or CDK4/6 inhibitors to established ET in the second-line setting and in select first-line patients. Some combinations are associated with increased risk of class-specific toxicities that will require individualized risk stratification, earlier and more rigorous agent-specific monitoring, and patient education. Recent data on a noninvasive biomarker assay that predicts response to a phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor demonstrates the feasibility of this minimally invasive technique as an alternative to traditional tissue analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To determine intrinsic breast cancer subtypes represented within categories defined by quantitative hormone receptor (HR) and HER2 expression. Methods. We merged 1,557 cases from three randomized phase III trials into a single data set. These breast tumors were centrally reviewed in each trial for quantitative ER, PR, and HER2 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) stain and by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), within trinsic subtyping by research-based PAM50RT-qPCR assay. Results. Among 283 HER2-negative tumors with,1% HR expression by IHC, 207 (73%) were basal-like; other subtypes, particularly HER2-enriched (48, 17%),were present. Among the 1,298 HER2-negative tumors, borderline HR (1%-9% staining) was uncommon (n = 39), and these tumors were heterogeneous: 17 (44%) luminal A/B, 12 (31%) HER2-enriched, and only 7 (18%) basal-like. Including them in the definition of triple-negative breast cancer significantly diminished enrichment for basal-like cancer (p, .05). Among 106 HER2-positive tumors with,1% HR expression by IHC, the HER2-enriched subtype was the most frequent (87, 82%), whereas among 127 HER2-positive tumors with strong HR (.10%) expression, only 69 (54%) were HER2-enriched and 55 (43%) were luminal (39 luminal B, 16 luminal A). Quantitative HR expression by RT-qPCR gave similar results. Regardless of methodology, basal-like cases seldom expressed ER/ESR1 or PR/PGR and were associated with the lowest expression level of HER2/ERBB2 relative to other subtypes. Conclusion. Significant discordance remains between clinical assay-defined subsets and intrinsic subtype. For identifying basal-like breast cancer, the optimal HRIHC cut pointwas,1%, matching the American Society of Clinical Oncology and College of American Pathologists guidelines. Tumors with borderline HR staining are molecularly diverse and may require additional assays to clarify underlying biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women with mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 are at high risk of developing breast cancer and, in British Columbia, Canada, are offered screening with both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and mammography to facilitate early detection. MRI is more sensitive than mammography but is more costly and produces more false positive results. The purpose of this study was to calculate the cost-effectiveness of MRI screening for breast cancer in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers in a Canadian setting.Methods: We constructed a Markov model of annual MRI and mammography screening for BRCA1/2 carriers, using local data and published values. We calculated cost-effectiveness as cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained (QALY), and conducted one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis.Results: The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of annual mammography plus MRI screening, compared to annual mammography alone, was $50,900/QALY. After incorporating parameter uncertainty, MRI screening is expected to be a cost-effective option 86% of the time at a willingness-to-pay of $100,000/QALY, and 53% of the time at a willingness-to-pay of $50,000/QALY. The model is highly sensitive to the cost of MRI; as the cost is increased from $200 to $700 per scan, the ICER ranges from $37,100/QALY to $133,000/QALY.Conclusions: The cost-effectiveness of using MRI and mammography in combination to screen for breast cancer in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers is finely balanced. The sensitivity of the results to the cost of the MRI screen itself warrants consideration: in jurisdictions with higher MRI costs, screening may not be a cost-effective use of resources, but improving the efficiency of MRI screening will also improve cost-effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Metastatic breast cancers have historically been presumed to have the same predictive biomarkers as the initial primary tumor. We compared the expression of these biomarkers in a large paired tissue microarray (TMA) series of primary and subsequent relapsed tumors. Methods. Using the British Columbia Cancer Agency Breast Cancer Outcomes Unit database, patients with biopsy-proven relapses were identified and linked to a large TMAseries of primary breast cancers from 1986-1992. Charts were reviewed, and tissue blocks of the metastatic cancer were collected to create a separate TMA. Immunohistochemical assessment with the same antibodies and conditions was performed for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)-2 on both the primary and relapsed tumors. Results. One hundred sixty cases were received that had tumor adequate for analyses. Of these, 71.9% had no changes in either the ER or PR status or HER-2 status. Of the 45 (28.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 21.2%-35.1%) tumors that did have changes in receptor status, 7.5% were in-breast recurrences or new breast primaries, 4.4% had changes in PR status only and were therefore deemed clinically irrelevant, and 19.4% (95% CI, 13.3%-25.5%) had changes in either the ER or HER-2 status from regional or distant relapses. Five percent of tumors had a receptor status change going from ER+ or PR+ to ER- or PR-; 9.4% went from ER- or PR- to ER+ or PR+. With regard to HER-2 status, 3.8% of tumors went from positive to negative and 1.3% went from negative to positive. For all discordant cases, biopsies of the relapsed lesion were obtained prior to initiation of first-line treatment for metastatic disease. In the primary tumors that were ER+, time to relapse was significantly shorter in the discordant relapsed cases than in the concordant ones (p = .0002). Changes in loss or gain of either biomarker were seen across the discordant cases. Conclusions. A significant proportion of relapsed tumors had changes in either ER or HER-2 status, which would dramatically alter treatment recommendations and clinical behavior. This study suggests that biopsies of relapsed and metastatic breast cancers should be performed routinely in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Among women with surgically removed, high-risk HER-2/neu-positive breast cancer, trastuzumab has demonstrated significant improvements in disease-free and overall survival. The objective of this study is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the currently recommended 12-month adjuvant protocol of trastuzumab using a Markov modeling approach and real-world cost data. Methods. A 10-health-state Markov model tracked patients' quarterly transitions between health states in the local and advanced states of breast cancer. Clinical data were obtained from the joint analysis of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project and North Central Cancer Treatment Group, as well as from the metastatic study conducted by Norum et al. Clinical outcomes were adjusted for quality of life using utility estimates published in a systematic review. Real cost data were obtained from the British Columbia Cancer Agency and were evaluated from a payer perspective.Costs and utilities were discounted at 5% per year, respectively, for a 28-year time horizon. Results. In the base case analysis, treatment with a 12-month adjuvant trastuzumab regimen resulted in a gain of 1.38 quality-adjusted life years or 1.17 life years gained at a cost of $18,133 per patient. Thus, the cost per QALY gained for the base case is $13,095. Cost per LYG is $15,492. Conclusions. Over the long term, treatment of HER-2/neu mutation positive breast cancer with a 12-month protocol of trastuzumab in the adjuvant setting is predicted to be cost-effective in a Canadian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Angiogenesis is an important hallmark of breast cancer growth and progression. Pazopanib, an oral small molecule inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, and KIT, has activity across a range of solid tumors. We evaluated the activity of single-agent pazopanib in recurrent or metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Patients and Methods. Patients with recurrent breast cancer or MBC, treated with up to two prior lines of chemotherapy, were eligible to receive pazopanib, 800 mg daily until progression. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate as measured by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Secondary endpoints included time to progression, the stable disease rate, and toxicity. Using a two-stage design, confirmed response in three of 18 patients was required to proceed to stage 2. Results. Twenty evaluable patients were treated, with a median age of 56 years; 70% were estrogen receptor positive, all were human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative. The majority had one or two prior lines of chemotherapy. One patient (5%) had a partial response, 11 (55%) had stable disease(SD) [four (20%) with SD ≥6 months], and seven (35%) had progressive disease as their best response. One (5%) was not evaluable. The median time to progression was 5.3 months. Pazopanib did not cause significant severe toxicity aside from grade 3- 4 transaminitis, hypertension, and neutropenia in three patients each (14% each) and grade 3 gastrointestinal hemorrhage in one patient (5%). Conclusion. Pazopanib provides disease stability in advanced breast cancer. The activity seen is comparable with that of other antiangiogenic agents in this setting. Pazopanib may be of interest for future studies in breast cancer, including in combination with other systemic agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Molecular markers that predict responses to particular therapies are invaluable for optimization of patient treatment. The TRYPHAENA study showed that pertuzumab and trastuzumab with chemotherapy was an efficacious and tolerable combination for patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer in the neoadjuvant setting. We analyzed whether particular biomarkers correlated with the responses observed and therefore may predict outcomes in patients given pertuzumab plus trastuzumab.Methods: We describe the analysis of a panel of biomarkers including HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (HER3), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) by qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and PCR-based mutational analyses as appropriate. For each marker analyzed, patients were categorized into 'low' (generally below median) or 'high' (generally above median) subgroups at baseline and post-treatment.Results: Correlation of marker subgroups with the achievement of a pathological complete response (pCR) (ypT0/is) was analyzed. HER2 protein and mRNA expression levels were associated with pCR rate in two of the three study arms and the pooled analyses. Correlations of biomarker status with pCR occurred in one individual arm only and the pooled analyses with EGFR and PTEN; however, interpretation of these results is limited by a strong imbalance in patient numbers between the high and low subgroups and inconsistency between arms. We also found no association between expression levels of TOP2A and pCR rate in either the anthracycline-containing or free arms of TRYPHAENA.Conclusions: According to these analyses, and in line with other analyses of pertuzumab and trastuzumab in the neoadjuvant setting, we conclude that HER2 expression remains the only marker suitable for patient selection for this regimen at present.Trial Registration: The TRYPHAENA study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00976989, on September 14 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ExteNET showed that neratinib, an irreversible pan-HER tyrosine kinase inhibitor, given for 1 year after trastuzumab-based therapy significantly improved invasive disease-free survival in women with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer. We report the final analysis of overall survival in ExteNET. In this international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial, women aged 18 years or older with stage 1–3c (amended to stage 2–3c) HER2-positive breast cancer who had completed neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy plus trastuzumab were eligible. Patients were randomly assigned to oral neratinib 240 mg/day or placebo for 1 year. Randomisation was stratified according to hormone receptor (HR) status (HR-positive vs. HR-negative), nodal status (0, 1–3 or 4+), and trastuzumab regimen (sequentially vs. concurrently with chemotherapy). Overall survival was analysed by intention to treat. ExteNET is registered (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00878709) and is complete. Between July 9, 2009, and October 24, 2011, 2840 women received neratinib (n = 1420) or placebo (n = 1420). After a median follow-up of 8.1 (IQR, 7.0–8.8) years, 127 patients (8.9%) in the neratinib group and 137 patients (9.6%) in the placebo group in the intention-to-treat population had died. Eight-year overall survival rates were 90.1% (95% CI 88.3–91.6) with neratinib and 90.2% (95% CI 88.4–91.7) with placebo (stratified hazard ratio 0.95; 95% CI 0.75–1.21; p = 0.6914). Overall survival in the extended adjuvant setting was comparable for neratinib and placebo after a median follow-up of 8.1 years in women with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer. • Neratinib improves iDFS after trastuzumab in early HER2+ breast cancer. • We report the final analysis of overall survival from the phase 3 ExteNET trial. • At 8 years' follow-up, OS in the ITT population was similar with neratinib vs placebo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alpelisib, a PI3Kα-selective inhibitor and degrader, plus fulvestrant showed efficacy in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, PIK3CA-mutated advanced breast cancer in SOLAR-1; limited data are available in the post-cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor setting. BYLieve aimed to assess alpelisib plus endocrine therapy in this setting in three cohorts defined by immediate previous treatment; here, we report results from cohort A.Methods: This ongoing, phase 2, multicentre, open-label, non-comparative study enrolled patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, advanced breast cancer with tumour PIK3CA mutation, following progression on or after previous therapy, including CDK4/6 inhibitors, from 114 study locations (cancer centres, medical centres, university hospitals, and hospitals) in 18 countries worldwide. Participants aged 18 years or older with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 2 or less, with no more than two previous anticancer treatments and no more than one previous chemotherapy regimen, were enrolled in three cohorts. In cohort A, patients must have had progression on or after a CDK4/6 inhibitor plus an aromatase inhibitor as the immediate previous treatment. Patients received oral alpelisib 300 mg/day (continuously) plus fulvestrant 500 mg intramuscularly on day 1 of each 28-day cycle and on day 15 of cycle 1. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients alive without disease progression at 6 months per local assessment using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, version 1.1, in patients with a centrally confirmed PIK3CA mutation. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03056755.Findings: Between Aug 14, 2017, and Dec 17, 2019 (data cutoff), 127 patients with at least 6 months' follow-up were enrolled into cohort A. 121 patients had a centrally confirmed PIK3CA mutation. At data cutoff, median follow-up was 11·7 months (IQR 8·5-15·9). 61 (50·4%; 95% CI 41·2-59·6) of 121 patients were alive without disease progression at 6 months. The most frequent grade 3 or worse adverse events were hyperglycaemia (36 [28%] of 127 patients), rash (12 [9%]), and rash maculopapular (12 [9%]). Serious adverse events occurred in 33 (26%) of 127 patients. No treatment-related deaths were reported.Interpretation: BYLieve showed activity of alpelisib plus fulvestrant with manageable toxicity in patients with PIK3CA-mutated, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer, after progression on a CDK4/6 inhibitor plus an aromatase inhibitor.Funding: Novartis Pharmaceuticals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The optimal duration of extended therapy with aromatase inhibitors in patients with postmenopausal breast cancer is unknown. In the NSABP B-42 study, we aimed to determine whether extended letrozole treatment improves disease-free survival after 5 years of aromatase inhibitor-based therapy in women with postmenopausal breast cancer.Methods: This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial was done in 158 centres in the USA, Canada, and Ireland. Postmenopausal women with stage I-IIIA hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, who were disease-free after about 5 years of treatment with an aromatase inhibitor or tamoxifen followed by an aromatase inhibitor, were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive 5 years of letrozole (2·5 mg orally per day) or placebo. Randomisation was stratified by pathological node status, previous tamoxifen use, and lowest bone mineral density T score in the lumbosacral spine, total hip, or femoral neck. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival, defined as time from randomisation to breast cancer recurrence, second primary malignancy, or death, and was analysed by intention to treat. To adjust for previous interim analyses, the two-sided statistical significance level for disease-free survival was set at 0·0418. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00382070, is active, and is no longer enrolling patients.Findings: Between Sept 28, 2006, and Jan 6, 2010, 3966 patients were randomly assigned to receive letrozole (n=1983) or placebo (n=1983). Follow-up information was available for 3903 patients for the analyses of disease-free survival. Median follow-up was 6·9 years (IQR 6·1-7·5). Letrozole treatment did not significantly improve disease-free survival (339 disease-free survival events were reported in the placebo group and 292 disease-free survival events were reported in the letrozole group; hazard ratio 0·85, 95% CI 0·73-0·999; p=0·048). 7-year disease-free survival estimate was 81·3% (95% CI 79·3-83·1) in the placebo group and 84·7% (82·9-86·4) in the letrozole group. The most common grade 3 adverse events were arthralgia (47 [2%] of 1933 patients in the placebo group vs 50 [3%] of 1941 patients in the letrozole group) and back pain (44 [2%] vs 38 [2%]). The most common grade 4 adverse event in the placebo group was thromboembolic event (eight [<1%]) and the most common grade 4 adverse events in the letrozole group were urinary tract infection, hypokalaemia, and left ventricular systolic dysfunction (four [<1%] each).Interpretation: After 5 years of aromatase inhibitor-based therapy, 5 years of letrozole therapy did not significantly prolong disease-free survival compared with placebo. Careful assessment of potential risks and benefits is required before recommending extended letrozole therapy to patients with early-stage breast cancer.Funding: National Cancer Institute, Korea Health Technology R&D Project, Novartis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Buparlisib, a pan-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, plus fulvestrant in the BELLE-2 study significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative advanced breast cancer. Patients and methods In this phase III study, patients were randomised 1:1 to buparlisib (100 mg/day; continuously in 28-day cycles) or placebo, plus fulvestrant (500 mg on cycle 1 day 15, and day 1 of subsequent cycles). Overall survival (OS) was assessed in the overall population and patients with known PI3K pathway status (both had shown significant PFS improvements). OS by PIK3CA status in circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) was an exploratory end-point. Results A total of 2025 patients were screened for eligibility between 7th September 2012 and 10th September 2014, and 1178 received fulvestrant (500 mg) during a run-in phase; 31 discontinued. Of 1147 patients (median age 62 years), 98% had the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≤1, and 59% had visceral disease. Median follow-up from randomisation to data cut-off (23rd December 2016) was 37.6 months. Median OS trended in favour of the buparlisib arm in the overall population (33.2 versus 30.4 months; P = 0.045) and among patients with known PI3K pathway status (30.9 versus 28.9 months; P = 0.144); neither outcome was statistically significant. Median OS also trended in favour of buparlisib among patients with PIK3CA -mutant ctDNA (26.0 versus 24.8 months). Grade III/IV adverse events with ≥10% difference between the buparlisib versus placebo arms were elevated alanine aminotransferase (26% versus 1%), elevated aspartate aminotransferase (18% versus 3%) and hyperglycemia (15% versus <1%). Conclusions OS results were in favour of buparlisib plus fulvestrant versus placebo plus fulvestrant; however, there is no statistical significance and more frequent grade III/IV adverse events were reported. Use of more selective PI3K inhibitors might provide the greatest clinical benefit and tolerable safety profile in this setting. Further evaluation of the predictive benefit of PIK3CA -mutant ctDNA is warranted. Trial registration number NCT01610284. Highlights • In this phase III study, median overall survival trended in favour of buparlisib plus fulvestrant versus placebo plus fulvestrant. ○ In the overall population (1147 patients), median OS was 33.2 versus 30.4 months; 1-sided P = 0.045. ○ In patients with known PI3K pathway status (851 patients), median OS was 30.9 versus 28.9 months; 1-sided P = 0.144. • Both outcomes were not statistically significant and more frequent grade III/IV adverse events were reported. • Investigation of selective PI3K inhibitors is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway activation is a hallmark of endocrine therapy-resistant, hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. This phase 3 study assessed the efficacy of the pan-PI3K inhibitor buparlisib plus fulvestrant in patients with advanced breast cancer, including an evaluation of the PI3K pathway activation status as a biomarker for clinical benefit.Methods: The BELLE-2 trial was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study. Postmenopausal women aged 18 years or older with histologically confirmed, hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor (HER2)-negative inoperable locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer whose disease had progressed on or after aromatase inhibitor treatment and had received up to one previous line of chemotherapy for advanced disease were included. Eligible patients were randomly assigned (1:1) using interactive voice response technology (block size of 6) on day 15 of cycle 1 to receive oral buparlisib (100 mg/day) or matching placebo, starting on day 15 of cycle 1, plus intramuscular fulvestrant (500 mg) on days 1 and 15 of cycle 1, and on day 1 of subsequent 28-day cycles. Patients were assigned randomisation numbers with a validated interactive response technology; these numbers were linked to different treatment groups which in turn were linked to treatment numbers. PI3K status in tumour tissue was determined via central laboratory during a 14-day run-in phase. Randomisation was stratified by PI3K pathway activation status (activated vs non-activated vs and unknown) and visceral disease status (present vs absent). Patients, investigators, local radiologists, study team, and anyone involved in the study were masked to the identity of the treatment until unblinding. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival by local investigator assessment per Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (version 1.1) in the total population, in patients with known (activated or non-activated) PI3K pathway status, and in PI3K pathway-activated patients. Efficacy analyses were done in the intention-to-treat population. Safety was analysed in all patients who received at least one dose of study drug and had at least one post-baseline safety assessment according to the treatment they received. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01610284, and is currently ongoing but not recruiting participants.Findings: Between Sept 7, 2012, and Sept 10, 2014, 1147 patients from 267 centres in 29 countries were randomly assigned to receive buparlisib (n=576) or placebo plus fulvestrant (n=571). In the total patient population (n=1147), median progression-free survival was 6·9 months (95% CI 6·8-7·8) in the buparlisib group versus 5·0 months (4·0-5·2) in the placebo group (hazard ratio [HR] 0·78 [95% CI 0·67-0·89]; one-sided p=0·00021). In patients with known PI3K status (n=851), median progression-free survival was 6·8 months (95% CI 5·0-7·0) in the buparlisib group vs 4·5 months (3·3-5·0) in the placebo group (HR 0·80 [95% CI 0·68-0·94]; one-sided p=0·0033). In PI3K pathway-activated patients (n=372), median progression-free survival was 6·8 months (95% CI 4·9-7·1) in the buparlisib group versus 4·0 months (3·1-5·2) in the placebo group (HR 0·76 [0·60-0·97], one-sided p=0·014). The most common grade 3-4 adverse events in the buparlisib group versus the placebo group were increased alanine aminotransferase (146 [25%] of 573 patients vs six [1%] of 570), increased aspartate aminotransferase (103 [18%] vs 16 [3%]), hyperglycaemia (88 [15%] vs one [<1%]), and rash (45 [8%] vs none). Serious adverse events were reported in 134 (23%) of 573 patients in the buparlisib group compared with 90 [16%] of 570 patients in the placebo group; the most common serious adverse events (affecting ≥2% of patients) were increased alanine aminotransferase (17 [3%] of 573 vs one [<1%] of 570) and increased aspartate aminotransferase (14 [2%] vs one [<1%]). No treatment-related deaths occurred.Interpretation: The results from this study show that PI3K inhibition combined with endocrine therapy is effective in postmenopausal women with endocrine-resistant, hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. Use of more selective PI3K inhibitors, such as α-specific PI3K inhibitor, is warranted to further improve safety and benefit in this setting. No further studies are being pursued because of the toxicity associated with this combination.Funding: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neratinib, an irreversible tyrosine-kinase inhibitor of HER1, HER2, and HER4, has clinical activity in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of 12 months of neratinib after trastuzumab-based adjuvant therapy in patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer.Methods: We did this multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial at 495 centres in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and North and South America. Eligible women (aged ≥18 years, or ≥20 years in Japan) had stage 1-3 HER2-positive breast cancer and had completed neoadjuvant and adjuvant trastuzumab therapy up to 2 years before randomisation. Inclusion criteria were amended on Feb 25, 2010, to include patients with stage 2-3 HER2-positive breast cancer who had completed trastuzumab therapy up to 1 year previously. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive oral neratinib 240 mg per day or matching placebo. The randomisation sequence was generated with permuted blocks stratified by hormone receptor status (hormone receptor-positive [oestrogen or progesterone receptor-positive or both] vs hormone receptor-negative [oestrogen and progesterone receptor-negative]), nodal status (0, 1-3, or ≥4), and trastuzumab adjuvant regimen (sequentially vs concurrently with chemotherapy), then implemented centrally via an interactive voice and web-response system. Patients, investigators, and trial sponsors were masked to treatment allocation. The primary outcome was invasive disease-free survival, as defined in the original protocol, at 2 years after randomisation. Analysis was by intention to treat. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00878709.Findings: Between July 9, 2009, and Oct 24, 2011, we randomly assigned 2840 women to receive neratinib (n=1420) or placebo (n=1420). Median follow-up time was 24 months (IQR 20-25) in the neratinib group and 24 months (22-25) in the placebo group. At 2 year follow-up, 70 invasive disease-free survival events had occurred in patients in the neratinib group versus 109 events in those in the placebo group (stratified hazard ratio 0·67, 95% CI 0·50-0·91; p=0·0091). The 2-year invasive disease-free survival rate was 93·9% (95% CI 92·4-95·2) in the neratinib group and 91·6% (90·0-93·0) in the placebo group. The most common grade 3-4 adverse events in patients in the neratinib group were diarrhoea (grade 3, n=561 [40%] and grade 4, n=1 [<1%] vs grade 3, n=23 [2%] in the placebo group), vomiting (grade 3, n=47 [3%] vs n=5 [<1%]), and nausea (grade 3, n=26 [2%] vs n=2 [<1%]). QT prolongation occurred in 49 (3%) patients given neratinib and 93 (7%) patients given placebo, and decreases in left ventricular ejection fraction (≥grade 2) in 19 (1%) and 15 (1%) patients, respectively. We recorded serious adverse events in 103 (7%) patients in the neratinib group and 85 (6%) patients in the placebo group. Seven (<1%) deaths (four patients in the neratinib group and three patients in the placebo group) unrelated to disease progression occurred after study drug discontinuation. The causes of death in the neratinib group were unknown (n=2), a second primary brain tumour (n=1), and acute myeloid leukaemia (n=1), and in the placebo group were a brain haemorrhage (n=1), myocardial infarction (n=1), and gastric cancer (n=1). None of the deaths were attributed to study treatment in either group.Interpretation: Neratinib for 12 months significantly improved 2-year invasive disease-free survival when given after chemotherapy and trastuzumab-based adjuvant therapy to women with HER2-positive breast cancer. Longer follow-up is needed to ensure that the improvement in breast cancer outcome is maintained.Funding: Wyeth, Pfizer, Puma Biotechnology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]