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There is uncertainty regarding the role of adding immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). We identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ICIs combined with NACT to NACT in early-stage TNBC. Efficacy outcomes included pathological complete response (pCR) and event-free survival (EFS). Toxicity data included any grade 3/4 adverse events (AEs), serious AEs, AEs leading to death, common and meaningful AEs associated with chemotherapy and immune-related AEs. Odds ratio (ORs), hazard ratios (HR) and their respective 95% confidence intervals (CI) for efficacy and toxicity were extracted and pooled in a meta-analysis. Differences in the odds for pCR between programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) status and between PD-L1 and PD-1 inhibitors were also assessed. Five RCTs comprising 2,075 patients were analyzed. Compared to NACT alone, combination of ICIs and NACT significantly improved pCR (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.25–2.47, p = 0.001) and EFS (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.48–0.91, p = 0.01). Magnitude of effect on pCR was similar between PD-L1-positive and PD-L1-negative tumors (p for the subgroup difference = 0.80) and between PD-L1 and PD-1 inhibitors (p = 0.27). The combination treatment resulted in higher odds of any grade 3/4 AEs (OR 1.31, p = 0.02) and serious AEs (OR 1.84, p = 0.006), with no statistically significant difference in AEs leading to death (OR 1.67, p = 0.51). Higher magnitude of toxicity was observed for immune-related AEs. Combination of ICIs and NACT were associated with improved outcome in early-stage TNBC while increasing toxicity significantly. Longer follow-up is desired to better understand the risk and benefit ratio of this combination.

Adjuvant endocrine therapy is a gold standard in early-stage, hormone receptor positive breast cancer. In postmenopausal women, aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are associated with improved outcome compared to tamoxifen monotherapy. Differences in the toxicity profiles of these drugs are described; however, little is known about whether the risk of adverse events changes over time. Sequential reports of large, randomized, adjuvant endocrine therapy trials comparing AIs to tamoxifen were reviewed. Data on pre-specified adverse events were extracted including cardiovascular events, bone fractures, cerebrovascular disease, endometrial cancer, secondary malignancies excluding breast cancer, venous thrombosis and death without recurrence. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for each adverse event at each time over the course of follow-up. The change in the ORs for adverse events over time was evaluated using weighted linear regression. Analysis included 21 reports of 7 trials comprising 30,039 patients and reporting outcomes between 28 and 128 months of follow-up. Compared to tamoxifen, AIs use was associated with a significant reduction in the magnitude of increased odds of bone fracture over time (β = − 0.63, p = 0.013). There was a non-significant decrease in the magnitude of reduced odds of secondary malignancies over time (β = 0.448, p = 0.094). The differences in other toxicity profiles between AIs and tamoxifen did not change significantly over time. The increased risk of bone fractures associated with adjuvant AIs falls over time and after discontinuation of treatment. Differences in other toxicities between AIs and tamoxifen do not change significantly over time including a persistently elevated risk of cardiovascular events.

533 Background: Early stage breast cancer is a curable disease with the majority of patients dying of causes other than breast cancer. The influence of these competing risks of death on the interpretation of Kaplan-Meier(KM)-based analyses such as those performed by the Early Breast Cancer Trialists Collaborative Group (EBCTCG) are unknown. Methods: We searched the Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit website at Oxford University to identify all meta-analyses published by the EBCTCG between 2005 and 2018. Studies were included if they contained KM curves with risk estimates for either breast cancer mortality and/or breast cancer recurrence. The potential influence of competing risks was estimated using a validated multivariate linear model that predicts the amount that the KM risk estimates are biased relative to outcome risk measured with the cumulative incidence function (CIF). Results: The initial search identified 14 analyses published by the EBCTCG with 10 of the 14 studies (71%) susceptible to competing risk bias cited both the number of events of interest and competing events. Eight of the ten studies (80%) had a relative difference between the KM estimate and the competing risk adjusted estimate of more than 10% while 2 of 10 (20%) had a difference of less than 10%. The relative difference between the KM and adjusted estimates was 28.4% for local recurrence, 16.8% for distant recurrence, and 6.7% for breast cancer-specific mortality. There was 2.2% difference between KM and adjusted analyses between 0-4 years and 18.9% beyond 10 years of follow up. Use of KM and CIF-based analysis did not influence treatment effect in the majority of included studies. Conclusions: This study provides estimates for the overestimation of risk in Kaplan-Meier analyses resulting from failure to address competing risk bias. CIFs are more appropriate to measure outcome risk over time and should be used especially for long-term follow-up studies and for analysis of rare events.

Introduction: A number of different drugs have been developed to target the PI3 kinase/AKT/mTOR pathway. Most randomized trials in breast cancer have been performed in patients unselected for pathway activation although aberrations of components of this pathway are common. Here we explore the predictive value of PIK3CA and AKT mutations in randomized trials of drugs targeting this signaling route. Methods: We searched PubMed for randomized trials of drugs targeting the PI3 kinase/AKT/mTOR pathway in metastatic breast cancer. The search was supplemented by a manual search of recent ASCO and ESMO meetings. Eligible studies needed to report efficacy data based on presence or absence of PIK3CA or AKT status measured either in tumor specimens or in circulating DNA. Hazard ratios (HR) for progression-free survival (PFS) in PIK3CA or AKT mutant and wild-type groups were extracted and pooled in a meta-analysis using generic inverse variance and random effects modeling. Sensitivity analyses were performed based on the mechanism of action of the experimental drug. Results: Of the 15 studies identified, 10 studies comprising of 3615 patients were eligible for analysis. Studies included pan-PI3kinase inhibitors (n=5), alpha-specific PI3kinase inhibitors (n=1), AKT inhibitors (n=2) and mTOR inhibitors (n=2). Approximately 38% of patients had either PIK3CA or AKT mutations. The addition of drugs targeting the PI3 kinase/AKT/mTOR pathway was associated with a significantly longer improvement in PFS in patients with PIK3CA or AKT mutations than in those with wild-type status (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.50-0.75 versus HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.67-1.02, p for difference = 0.04). Similar results were observed in sensitivity analyses (see Table). Conclusion: Benefit from drugs targeting the PI3 kinase/AKT/mTOR pathway in breast cancer appears to occur exclusively in those with PIK3CA or AKT mutations. Future trials of these drugs should be designed only in biomarker selected patients. TableGroupPIK3CA or AKT mutationPIK3CA and AKT wildtypep for differenceHR95% CIHR95% CIExcluding AKT inhibitors0.640.52-0.790.810.63-1.030.16Excluding pan-PI3 kinase inhibitors0.580.47-0.710.710.51-1.150.24Excluding AKT and alpha-specific PI3 kinase inhibitors0.690.48-1.000.980.83-1.150.09Excluding mTOR inhibitors0.620.49-0.800.920.80-1.060.008 Citation Format: Fahad A Almugbel, Ramy Saleh, Alberto Ocana, Atanasio Pandiella, Eitan Amir. PIK3CA status as a predictor of benefit from drugs targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway: A meta-analysis of randomized trials [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-10-11.

Background: Decisions on regulatory approval and reimbursement of drugs are based typically on the observation of statistically significant results showing superiority over an established standard. The Fragility Index (FI) quantifies the reliability of statistically significant results by estimating the number of events which would change statistically significant results to non-significant results. Here, we calculate the FI of trials supporting approval of breast cancer drugs. Methods: We searched Drugs@FDA to identify randomized controlled trials (RCT) supporting breast cancer drug approvals by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) between January 2010 and December 2018. We adapted the FI framework (Walsh et al. J Clin Epidemiol 2014) to allow input comprising of time to event data. First, we reconstructed survival tables from reported data using the Parmar Toolkit (Parmar et al. Stat Med 1998). Then, the FI was calculated as the number of events for each arm which would result in a non-significant effect for the primary endpoint of each trial. The FI was then compared quantitatively to the number of patients in each respective trial who withdrew consent or were lost to follow-up. Results: We identified 15 RCT with a median of 724 patients (range, 302-4084) and 318 events (range, 210-635). The median FI was 18 (range, 4 to 33 - see Table). The FI was 10 or fewer patients in 3 trials (20%) and 20 or fewer in 11 trials (73%). Among the 13 RCTs (87%) reporting data, the median number of patients who withdrew consent and were lost to follow up was 16 (range, 2-103). The number of patients who withdrew consent or were lost to follow-up was greater than the FI in 7 trials (54%). There was no association between trial sample size or reported P-value and the FI. Conclusion: Statistical significance of trials supporting breast cancer drug approval rely often on a small number of events. In over one half of trials the FI was lower than the number of patients withdrawing consent or being lost to follow-up. Post-approval randomized trials or real-world data analyses should be performed to ensure that effects observed in registration trials are robust. Main resultsFDA-Approved DrugYear of approvalPhase 3 TrialPrimary EndpointWithdrew consent and lost to follow-upFragility IndexAbemaciclib2018MONARCH 3PFS415Abemaciclib2017MONARCH 2PFS1020Eribulin2010EMBRACEPFS238Eribulin2010EMBRACEOS2316Everolimus2012BOLERO-2PFS3818Neratinib2017ExteNETIDFS827Olaparib2018OlympiADPFS1610Palbociclib2017PALOMA-2PFS1918Palbociclib2016PALOMA-3PFS718Pertuzumab2017APHINITYIDFS1034Pertuzumab2012CLEOPATRAPFS4125Ribociclib2018MONALEESA-7PFS227Ribociclib2018MONALEESA-3PFSn/a19Ribociclib2017MONALEESA-2PFSn/a22T-DM12013EMILIAOS333T-DM12013EMILIAPFS326Talazoparib2018EMBRACAPFS7013 Citation Format: Alexandra Desnoyers, Michelle B. Nadler, Ramy Saleh, Eitan Amir. Fragility index of trials supporting approval of breast cancer drugs [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-15-01.

Background: The addition of platinum agents to anthracycline and taxane-based chemotherapy in early-stage triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients improves pathological complete response (pCR). Long-term outcomes, such as disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS), have not been well-established. Methods: A systematic literature review identified studies using platinum-based treatment in TNBC patients in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting with reportable long-term outcomes. Hazard ratios (HR) from collected data were pooled in a meta-analysis using generic inverse-variance and random effects modeling. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on treatment setting (neoadjuvant vs. adjuvant) and study design (retrospective vs. randomized controlled trials). When available, odds ratios (OR) for commonly reported safety and tolerability measures such as treatment-related death, treatment discontinuation without progression, dose reduction, neuropathy, renal impairment and hematological toxicity were calculated. Results: Seven studies comprising 1699 patients met the inclusion criteria. Median follow up was 54.5 months. All studies reported DFS and 4 studies reported OS. DFS was significantly better in platinum-based treatment (HR 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53-0.96; P = 0.03). However, OS was no different with a higher number of events in the platinum-based treatment arm (HR 1.17, 95% CI 0.81-1.69; P = 0.42). There was no significant difference between treatment settings (p = 0.74) or between study designs (p = 0.74), although a higher HR for OS was observed for studies in the adjuvant (HR 1.34, 95% CI 0.54-3.35) compared to neoadjuvant setting (HR 1.14, 95% CI 0.76-1.70). The reporting of toxicity was suboptimal with most studies not reporting safety and tolerability metrics clearly. Platinum-based treatment was associated with more neutropenia and thrombocytopenia and treatment discontinuation, however, the magnitude of this effect could not be estimated accurately. Conclusions: Platinum-based treatment improves DFS but has no effect on OS and increases toxicity. The discordant effect of platinum-based treatment on DFS and OS suggest the potential development of platinum resistance and worse outcomes after recurrence. The higher magnitude of discordance in adjuvant compared to neoadjuvant studies suggests an effect of platinum-based therapy on loco-regional control prior to surgery rather than prevention of distant metastatic disease. Platinum-based chemotherapy cannot be recommended in unselected patients with TNBC. Citation Format: Ramy Saleh, Michelle B Nadler, Alexandra Desnoyers, Rouhi Fazelzad, Eitan Amir. Platinum-based chemotherapy in early-stage triple negative breast cancer: A meta-analysis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-14-09.

Identification of membrane proteins expressed exclusively on tumor cells is a goal for cancer drug development. The receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor type 1 and 2 (ROR1/2), are type-I transmembrane proteins expressed in cancer but not in adult normal tissue. Here, we explore the prognostic role ROR1/2 expression on patient outcome.A systematic search of electronic databases identified publications exploring the effect of ROR1/2 on overall survival (OS). Hazard ratios (HR) from collected data were pooled in a meta-analysis using generic inverse-variance and random effects modeling. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on disease site or tumor type.Twenty five studies met the inclusion criteria. ROR1 was associated with worse overall survival (HR 2.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.62-2.80; P 0.001) with subgroup analysis showing the strongest association between ROR1 and OS was in lung cancer. There was no significant difference between solid tumors and hematological malignancies (HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.52-3.06 vs. HR 2.02, 95% CI 1.46-2.84; subgroup difference P = 0.80). ROR2 was also associated with worse OS (HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.43-2.38; P 0.001). There was no significant difference between disease sites although the highest association seen was in head and neck cancers (HR 3.19, 95% CI 1.13-8.97) and the lowest in gynecological cancers (HR 1.19, 95% CI 0.71-2.00; subgroup difference P = 0.10).ROR1 and ROR2 expression is associated with adverse outcome in several tumors. ROR1/2 warrants study as a target for developmental therapeutics.

The concept of “big data” research—the aggregation and analysis of biologic, clinical, administrative, and other data sources to drive new advances in biomedical knowledge—has been embraced by the cancer research enterprise. Although much of the conversation has concentrated on the amalgamation of basic biologic data (e.g., genomics, metabolomics, tumor tissue), new opportunities to extend potential contributions of big data to clinical practice and policy abound. This article examines these opportunities through discussion of three major data sources: aggregated clinical trial data, administrative data (including insurance claims data), and data from electronic health records. We will discuss the benefits of data use to answer key oncology practice and policy research questions, along with limitations inherent in these complex data sources. Finally, the article will discuss overarching themes across data types and offer next steps for the research, practice, and policy communities. The use of multiple sources of big data has the promise of improving knowledge and providing more accurate data for clinicians and policy decision makers. In the future, optimization of machine learning may allow for current limitations of big data analyses to be attenuated, thereby resulting in improved patient care and outcomes.

Background Palbociclib, ribociclib and abemaciclib have all been approved in combination with endocrine therapy in hormone-receptor positive, HER2 negative metastatic breast cancer. While the efficacy of these drugs appears similar, differences in safety and tolerability are apparent. Methods We searched PubMed and ASCO, ESMO and SABCS proceedings to identify randomized trials of palbociclib, ribociclib and abemaciclib. Data on common and serious adverse events (AE) were extracted for each approved drug. The odds ratio for each AE and the hazard ratio for progression-free survival were calculated relative to endocrine therapy alone. A network meta-analysis was then performed for each endocrine therapy backbone (aromatase inhibitor (AI) or fulvestrant) to compare ribociclib and abemaciclib to palbociclib. Results 8 trials were included in the analysis and comprised 2799 patients receiving cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors palbociclib: 873 patients; ribociclib: 1153 patients; abemaciclib: 773 patients. In 5 trials (1524 patients), the endocrine therapy backbone was an AI and in 3 trials (1275 patients) it was fulvestrant. Compared to palbociclib, ribociclib and abemaciclib showed significantly lower grade 3–4 neutropenia, but significantly higher GI toxicity. Treatment discontinuation was higher with abemaciclib than other drugs. Efficacy of the 3 drugs was similar. Compared to palbociclib, for AI backbone, the HR for PFS for ribociclib was 0.98 and for abemaciclib 1.02. For fulvestrant backbone, the HR were 0.88 and 0.93 respectively. Conclusions Palbociclib, ribociclib and abemaciclib have comparable efficacy, but differences in safety and tolerability. Abemaciclib has worse tolerability with significantly higher treatment discontinuation likely due to GI toxicity.

Purpose The addition of platinum agents to anthracycline and taxane-based chemotherapy in early-stage triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients improves pathological complete response (pCR). Long-term outcomes, such as disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS), have not been well-established. Methods A systematic literature review identified studies using platinum-based treatment in TNBC patients in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting with reportable long-term outcomes. Hazard ratios (HR) from collected data were pooled in a meta-analysis using generic inverse-variance and random effects modeling. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on treatment setting and study design. Results Fourteen studies comprising 3518 patients met the inclusion criteria. Median follow up was 56.2 months. All studies reported DFS and 9 studies (64%) reported OS. DFS was significantly better in platinum-based treatment (HR 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.56–0.89; p = 0.03). However, OS was no different (HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.75–1.27; p = 0.87). There was a non-significant difference between platinum exposure in the adjuvant compared to neoadjuvant setting for both DFS (HR 0.75 vs 0.62, p = 0.43) and for OS (HR 0.90 vs 1.10, p = 0.58). The addition of platinum was associated with more thrombocytopenia and all-grade neuropathy and non-significant increases in neutropenia and grade 3–4 neuropathy. Conclusions Platinum-based treatment improves DFS but not OS. The reporting of toxicity was suboptimal, but in general adding platinum increased toxicity. The discordant effect of platinum-based treatment on DFS and OS suggest the potential development of platinum resistance and worse outcomes after recurrence. Platinum-based chemotherapy cannot be recommended in unselected patients with early TNBC.

Background Overuse of laboratory investigations is widely prevalent in hospitalized patients, leads to discomfort, and increases direct and indirect costs. Objective We implemented a simple, inexpensive, mindfulness strategy on our inpatient medical clinical teaching unit to reduce unnecessary laboratory orders through education, a forcing function, and daily structured laboratory "time outs." Methods On a 26-bed unit in an academic hospital center, the per-period laboratory costs per patient were compared pre- and postintervention using segmented regression analysis of an interrupted time series. Results The average cost per admitted patient decreased from $117 to $66, with an estimated savings of $50,657 over 985 admissions. After adjusting for fiscal period and the presence of our intervention, there was a significant reduction in the per-patient number of total tests, complete blood counts, and electrolyte panels performed ( P Conclusion This trainee-designed and -led intervention, centered around structured, mindfulness-based laboratory test ordering, was successful at decreasing the overuse of common daily blood work in hospitalized patients.

Cancer is a genetic disease resulting from germline or somatic genetic aberrations. Rapid progress in the field of genomics in recent years is allowing for increased characterization and understanding of the various forms of the disease. The Ontario-wide Cancer Targeted Nucleic Acid Evaluation (octane) clinical trial, open at cancer centres across Ontario, aims to increase access to genomic sequencing of tumours and to facilitate the collection of clinical data related to enrolled patients and their clinical outcomes. The study is designed to assess the clinical utility of next-generation sequencing (ngs) in cancer patient care, including enhancement of treatment options available to patients. A core aim of the study is to encourage collaboration between cancer hospitals within Ontario while also increasing international collaboration in terms of sharing the newly generated data. The single-payer provincial health care system in Ontario provides a unique opportunity to develop a province-wide registry of ngs testing and a repository of genomically characterized, clinically annotated samples. It also provides an important opportunity to use province-wide real-world data to evaluate outcomes and the cost of ngs for patients with advanced cancer. The octane study is attempting to translate knowledge to help deliver precision oncology in a Canadian environment. In this article, we discuss the background to the study and its implementation, current status, and future directions.

Background Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are crucial to the practice of evidence-based medicine. Declared author financial conflicts of interest (FCOIs) are common in CPGs and have been associated with endorsement of treatment. Less is known about undeclared FCOIs. Methods The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) website was searched to identify all CPGs for systemic therapy published between August 2013 and June 2018. Data on self-reported author FCOIs and funding sources were extracted. The Open Payments database was then searched to identify compensation to CPG authors. Concordance between declared and undeclared but verified FCOIs was assessed with Cohen's kappa. Results For 26 CPGs, 314 nonduplicate authors were identified; 184 of these authors (59%) disclosed FCOIs. Among the remaining 130 authors, data in Open Payments were unavailable for 71 authors (non-US residents or authors affiliated with a nonprofit organization). Among the 59 authors who declared no FCOIs and for whom Open Payments data were available, 55 (93%) had received payment from industry. The kappa value for agreement between disclosed and verified FCOIs was 0.092. Among the 243 authors with FCOIs verifiable via Open Payments, 239 (98%) received payment from industry. Thirty-four authors (62%) received more than $1000 in nonresearch funding, and 19 (35%) received more than $5000. Among the 52 first and last authors, 44 (85%) received payment from industry; 14 of these payments (32%) were not declared. Conclusions FCOIs among authors of ASCO CPGs are common and are not disclosed by a substantial proportion of authors with Open Payments data. Improved transparency of FCOIs should become standard practice among CPG authors. Professional societies and journal editors need to create a mechanism to verify self-reported FCOIs.

Background: Early-phase clinical trials are increasingly complex, with “seamless” phase I/II trial designs that include multiple parallel disease and/or biomarker-selected expansion cohorts. Challenges for participating sites in phase 1 (P1) trials include rapid identification of patients for available trial slots, high screen failure (SF) rates, and workload distribution among nurses and data coordinators. The Princess Margaret (PM) Cancer Centre Solid Tumor P1 program is the largest early-phase clinical trial program in Canada. There are currently 53 actively recruiting clinical trials, and approximately 250-300 patients are enrolled annually. To improve operational efficiency at the point of care, we designed a novel electronic platform, termed Phase One Spot Tracker (POST). Methods: An electronic, password-restricted, web-based tracker and smartphone-enabled app was created using PHP Laravel, JavaScript (iOS), and Java (Android). The intention was to replace the two previously used Excel spreadsheets, where one listed the trial information and the other included available slot allocations by trial. These spreadsheets were cumbersome to use in clinic, without the ability to search or filter. POST enabled all users to access the data from any computer or phone, increased the ease of updating information in real time, and functioned as a search engine to locate available spots more quickly. It contains specific information including brief trial description, key eligibility criteria, biopsy requirements, status of trial slots (e.g., screening, available, pending, etc.). The data security of POST is ensured by Amazon Web Services. Results: Prior to launching POST, three time-measured simulations showed that it reduced the coordinators’ workload to update trial information by 30 minutes. Currently POST is used by 65 users, including 7 physicians, 14 nurses, and 29 coordinators at the PM Cancer Centre. POST is used by investigators during a weekly P1 new patient consultation clinic to identify trial candidates as well as in weekly P1 team meetings to review all patients enrolled and approached for clinical trials. We are enhancing the POST platform to enable tracking of SF (patients who undergo study-specific screening procedures but are not enrolled in a clinical trial), timeline for replacing patients who screen fail, and reasons for SF. Conclusions: POST is an electronic, smart phone-enabled platform that can be implemented at the point of care for early-phase clinical trials. POST can also provide real-time tracking data about operational metrics (startup time, screening time, enrollment data, nursing and data coordinator workload, and screen failures) that can be used to drive quality improvement. POST can be extended to other disease site groups as well as to other institutions. This will eventually lead to an increase in work efficiency and provide a better quality of care for cancer patients. Citation Format: Ramy R. Saleh, Olivia Chan, Silvi Kuld, Patrick Marban, Anna Spreafico, Aaron Hansen, Albiruni Razak, Lillian L. Siu, Philippe L. Bedard. A novel electronic platform to improve clinical trial workflow and screening [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advancing Precision Medicine Drug Development: Incorporation of Real-World Data and Other Novel Strategies; Jan 9-12, 2020; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(12_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 26.

2055 Background: The Fragility Index (FI) quantifies the reliability of positive trials by estimating the number of events which would change statistically significant results to non-significant results. Here, we calculate the FI of trials supporting approval of drugs for common solid tumors. Methods: We searched Drugs@FDA to identify randomized trials (RCT) supporting drug approvals by the US Food and Drug Administration between January 2009 and December 2019 in lung, breast, prostate, gastric and colon cancers. We adapted the FI framework (Walsh et al. J Clin Epidemiol 2014) to allow use of time to event data. First, we reconstructed survival tables from reported data using the Parmar Toolkit (Parmar et al. Stat Med 1998) and then calculated the number of events which would result in a non-significant effect for the primary endpoint of each trial. The FI was then compared quantitatively to the number of patients in each trial who withdrew consent or were lost to follow-up. Multivariable linear regression was used to explore association between RCT characteristics and the FI. Results: We identified 69 RCT with a median of 669 patients (range 123-4804) and 358 primary outcome events (range 56-884). The median FI was 26 (range 1-322). The FI was ≤10 in 21 trials (30%) and ≤20 in 31 trials (45%). Among the 69 RCT, the median number of patients who withdrew consent or were lost to follow up was 27 (range, 6-317). The number of patients who withdrew consent or were lost to follow-up was equal or greater than the FI in 42 trials (61%). There was statistically significant inverse association between FI and trial hazard ratio (p0,001) and a positive association with number of patients who were lost to follow-up or withdrew consent (p0,001). There was no association between trial sample size, year of approval or reported p-value and the FI. Conclusions: Statistical significance of trials supporting drug approval in common solid tumors relies often on a small number of events. In most trials the FI was lower than the number of patients lost to follow up or withdrawing consent. Post-approval randomized trials or real-world data analyses should be performed to ensure that effects observed in registration trials are robust.

e13052 Background: CDK4/6i in combination with endocrine therapy (ET) are a standard of care in hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative MBC. Palbociclib, ribociclib and abemaciclib have all been approved and while efficacy appears similar, differences in safety and tolerability are apparent. Here we quantify TRAEs comparing the 3 CDK4/6i in a network meta-analysis. Methods: We searched PubMed and ASCO and ESMO proceedings to identify randomized trials (RCT) of CDK4/6i. Data on common and serious TRAE were extracted for each approved CDK4/6i. The odd ratio (OR) for each TRAE and the hazard ratio (HR) for progression-free survival (PFS) were calculated relative to ET alone. A network meta-analysis was then performed for each ET backbone (aromatase inhibitor (AI) or fulvestrant) to compare ribociclib and abemaciclib to palbociclib. Results: 7 RCT were included in the analysis and comprised 2715 patients receiving CDK4/6i (palbociclib: 789 patients; ribociclib: 1153 patients; abemaciclib: 773 patients). In 4 RCT (1440 patients) ET backbone was an AI and in 3 RCT (1275 patients) it was fulvestrant. Compared to palbociclib, ribociclib and abemaciclib showed lower grade 3-4 hematological toxicity, but higher GI toxicity (see table). Treatment discontinuation was higher with abemaciclib than other CDK4/6i. Efficacy of the 3 CDK4/6i was similar. Compared to palbociclib, for AI backbone, the HR for PFS for ribociclib was 1.00 and for abemaciclib 1.04. For fulvestrant backbone, the HR were 0.88 and 0.93 respectively. Conclusions: The three approved CDK4/6i show comparable efficacy, but differences in safety and tolerability. Abemaciclib has worse tolerability with significantly higher treatment discontinuation likely due to gastro-intestinal toxicity. [Table: see text]

e19206 Background: Anti-cancer drugs are approved typically on the basis of efficacy and safety as evaluated in phase III randomized trials (RCTs). Health related quality of life (HRQoL) is a direct measure of patient benefit from drugs. Despite this, HRQoL is not reported universally for all anti-cancer drugs. Here we explore associations with reporting of HRQoL data in phase III RCTs in common solid tumors. Methods: We searched ClinicalTrials.gov to identify phase III oncology RCTs evaluating new drugs in adult patients with breast, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancers. We included all completed or active trials that completed accrual between January 1, 2005 and October 31, 2016. Data were extracted from published trials including HRQoL data and toxicity data on toxic death, treatment discontinuation and commonly reported grade 3 or 4 adverse events (AEs). Then, we explored associations between these safety and tolerability measures and the odds of reporting HRQoL data and whether HRQoL were favourable or not. Analysis comprised logistic regression and was performed in SPSS version 25. Results: A total of 377 phase III RCTs were initially identified. After excluding ineligible studies, a total of 143 studies were analysed. All trials (100%) were in the metastatic setting with 79 (55%) being positive trials. 40 (28%) were breast cancer trials, 38 (26%) were focused on evaluating chemotherapy, and 128 (90%) of trials were industry sponsored. 84 (59%) trials reported measuring HRQoL data, however of these, only 47 (56%) reported HRQoL data. In 14 (30%) HRQoL was improved with experimental therapy. There was no association between treatment related death (OR 1.25, 95%CI 0.74-2.12, p = 0.398) or treatment discontinuation (OR 1.12, 95%CI 0.73-1.72, p = 0.61) with reporting of HRQoL data. Associations with grade 3 or 4 AEs are shown in the Table. Conclusions: HRQoL is reported for only around a half of RCTs that collect such data. Reporting of HRQoL is not associated with safety and tolerability of anti-cancer drugs. [Table: see text]

e19303 Background: There is limited real-world evidence of impact of large clinical panel sequencing on treatment-matching for patients with advanced solid tumors. The province of Ontario has a single payer, publicly funded health care system. We linked genomic testing results from a prospective province-wide trial, OCTANE (Ontario-Wide Cancer TArgeted Nucleic Acid Evaluation), to administrative data to determine the feasibility of this approach for evaluating survival and the impact of sequencing on treatment matching. Methods: We linked all Ontario patients from Princess Margaret (PM) with panel testing results (tumor-only 555-gene panel) to province-wide administrative data on treatments and outcomes. Patients were recruited from August 2016 to August 2018. Only clinically actionable variants based upon OncoKB annotation (Level 1 and 2) were assessed for genotype-informed treatment matching. Results: All 888 eligible patients were successfully linked to administrative data. Mean age was 58 (±13) years, 635 (71.5%) were female. Most common disease sites were ovary (26.4%), uterus (14.0%), colorectal (11.8%) and breast (9.5%). Administrative data vital status was more complete than trial collected data with 262 of 476 deaths only recorded in administrative data. Median survival was 1.70 years (95% confidence interval 1.50-1.91). 247 (27.8%) had actionable mutations, most commonly PIK3CA (54.7%), BRCA1 (15.8%), BRCA2 (15.0%) and BRAF (8.9%). 37 (15.0%) and 42 (17.0%) patients with actionable mutations received targeted therapy within 6 and 12 months of test report date, respectively. Conclusions: This is the first known feasibility study of linked administrative data to measure outcomes of large clinical panel sequencing for patients with advanced solid tumors. Vital status was more complete with administrative data compared to trial-collected data, and treatment data was successfully linked. About one in twenty-one enrolled patients received genome-informed treatments within 12 months, or about one in six of all patients with actionable mutations. This may be due to short interval follow up, trial and drug access, successful standard of care treatments, early patient deterioration or limited alterations covered by the panel, among other causes.

e19121 Background: The programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway plays a crucial role in cancer immuno-surveillance and is the target of approved immunotherapeutic drugs. Available data suggest a variable prognostic impact of PD-L1 expression in solid tumors. Methods: A systematic literature search of electronic databases identified publications exploring the effect of PD-L1 on overall survival (OS) and/or progression-free survival (PFS). Hazard ratios (HR) were pooled in a meta-analysis using generic inverse-variance and random effects modeling. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on disease site, stage of disease, and method of PD-L1 quantification using the Deeks method. Results: One hundred eighty-eight studies comprised of 212,748 patients met the inclusion criteria. PD-L1 expression was associated with worse OS (HR 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25 - 1.38; P < 0.001). There was significant heterogeneity between disease sites (subgroup P = 0.002) with pancreatic, hepatocellular and genitourinary cancers being associated with the highest magnitude of adverse outcome (Table). PD-L1 was also associated with worse overall PFS (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.09 - 1.30; P < 0.001). Stage of disease did not significantly affect the results (subgroup P = 0.52), nor did the method of quantification (immunohistochemistry or mRNA) (subgroup P = 0.70). Conclusions: High expression of PD-L1 is associated with worse cancer outcomes albeit with significant heterogeneity between disease sites. The effect seems consistent in early stage and metastatic disease and is not sensitive to method of PD-L1 quantification. [Table: see text]

e13080 Background: Capecitabine is an effective oral chemotherapy that is widely used in a number of solid cancers both as monotherapy or in combination with other anti-cancer drugs. It has been suggested that mean corpuscular volume (MCV) is associated with response to capecitabine. Methods: We searched PubMed for studies exploring the association between capecitabine and macrocytosis or MCV. We extracted the hazard ratios (HR) reporting progression-free (PFS) or overall survival (OS) data when comparing macrocytosis to normal/low MCV. If HR were not directly reported, we estimated them from survival plots using the Parmar method. HR were then pooled in a meta-analysis using generic inverse variance and random effects modeling. Results: Among the 13 identified studies, five were eligible for analysis, comprising a total of 446 patients. One study was a randomized trial and four were retrospective cohort studies. Mean patient age was 53 and cancer sites included breast (n = 226; 50%), colon (n = 131; 29 %) and stomach (n = 89; 19%). Capecitabine was used in combination with other drugs in 64% of patients. There was no association between macrocytosis and PFS (HR 0.91, 0.60-1.38, p = 0.65). Among the 3 studies reporting OS data, there was a significant negative association between macrocytosis and worse OS (HR 1.79, 1.38-2.34, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Macrocytosis in patients treated with Capecitabine was found to have no impact on PFS, but was associated with an inferior OS. This finding suggests that macrocytosis is more likely to be a prognostic factor rather than a predictive biomarker of response to capecitabine.

Introduction: Early stage breast cancer is a curable disease with many patients dying of causes other than breast cancer. The influence of these competing risks of death on the interpretation of Kaplan-Meier (KM)-based analyses for other outcomes by the Early Breast Cancer Trialists Collaborative Group (EBCTCG) are unknown. Methods: We searched the Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit website at Oxford University to identify all meta-analyses published by the EBCTCG between 2005 and 2018. Studies were included if they risk estimates for either breast cancer mortality and/or breast cancer recurrence based on KM analyses and reported competing events. The potential influence of competing risks was estimated using a validated multivariate linear model that predicts the difference between KM and cumulative incidence function (CIF) on estimates of breast cancer-specific outcomes. Results: The initial search identified 14 analyses published by the EBCTCG, 10 of which (71%) reported data on breast cancer and competing events. Eight of the ten studies (80%) had a relative difference between the KM and the competing risk adjusted estimates exceeding 10%. The median (range) relative difference between the KM and adjusted estimates was: 28.4% for local recurrence; 16.8% for distant recurrence, and 6.7% for breast cancer-specific mortality. There was a 2.2% relative difference between KM and CIF adjusted analyses between 0-4 years of follow-up and 18.9% beyond 10 years. Use of KM vs. CIF-based analysis did not influence treatment effect in most included studies. Conclusions: The use of KM-based methods when competing risks are present biases risk estimates in studies of early breast cancer. Future studies should exclusively use the CIF to calculate breast cancer specific outcomes. Funding: N/A Declaration of Interest: Dr. Eitan AMIR reports personal fees from Genentech/Roche, personal fees from Apobiologix, personal fees from Myriad Genetics, personal fees from Agendia, outside the submitted work. Ethical Approval: This study was exempt from institutional review board approval since it used publicly available data exclusively.

Solitary myofibroma of the tongue is an uncommon condition reported in 36 cases worldwide in the English literature. Herein, we present the first case of tongue myofibroma diagnosed at the American University of Beirut-Medical Center (Lebanon), found in a 50-year-old female with no evident risk factors or associated co-morbid conditions. The tumor was well-circumscribed, associated with pain, exhibited rapid growth and showed a distinct biphasic pattern upon staining. The unique clinical presentation and the histological findings of this rare tumor are presented and compared with previously reported cases. A review of the literature was used to evaluate this lesion's demographic characteristics using 16 cases, while nine detailed cases were used to determine a general pathological phenotype. We aimed to emphasize features that may express variability between lesions and revealed a possible bimodal distribution of tongue myofibroma occurring in infancy as well as middle-aged individuals. Physicians should include myofibroma in the differential diagnosis of tongue lesions regardless of age.

Background Hematometrocolpos caused by an imperforate hymen is a common form of vaginal outflow obstruction. This is a rare pediatric anomaly that can present with atypical or vague symptomatology, such as abdominal pain or constipation or urinary retention in the setting of amenorrhea. It is essential to obtain a gynecologic history and inquire about menstrual cycles to properly evaluate a young female with such a common complaint as abdominal pain. Failure to perform a gynecologic examination in the emergency department setting may delay diagnosis and appropriate care for this rare condition, which can lead to serious complications. Case Report This case describes a 12-year-old female who presented to the emergency department with a complaint of abdominal pain and urinary symptoms. Because of the severity of the patient's pain on abdominal examination, we obtained a computed tomography scan of her abdomen and pelvis, which showed findings consistent with hematometrocolpos. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Obstruction of the female genital outflow tract is a rare occurrence. Because abdominal pain is such a common complaint, not only in the pediatric emergency department but also in the outpatient setting, the diagnosis of hematometrocolpos may easily go undiagnosed for months or even years. Obtaining a complete gynecologic history is key when evaluating young females with abdominal pain or urinary retention. Early detection and timely management can prevent serious complications and long-term sequelae. This patient had a successful outcome and early surgical management of her hematometrocolpos which was caused by an imperforate hymen.

e12567 Background: PARP inhibitors (PARPi), when given as single agents, have modest antitumor activity in patients with advanced breast cancer and germline mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2. It is unclear whether some subgroups derive greater benefit from treatment. Methods: Two electronic databases (MEDLINE, CENTRAL) and one registry (Clinicaltrials.gov) were searched from inception to November 2018 to identify trials of PARPi in patients with metastatic breast cancer. The response rates to PARPi were extracted and pooled. Analyses were performed for patients with a germline BRCA mutation. Meta-regression explored the influence of patient and tumor characteristics and previous chemotherapy on the objective response rate (ORR) as reported in individual studies. Analysis comprised of a linear regression weighted by individual study sample size using the weighted least squares (mixed effect) method. Quantitative significance was defined using methods described by Burnand et al. Results: Of 1855 citations, 11 studies comprising 813 patients were included in the analysis. 765 (94%) patients had a germline BRCA mutations; 48% of breast cancers were triple-negative. 76% of patients had received at least 1 previous line of chemotherapy in the metastatic setting and 30% were exposed to platinum-based chemotherapy. Pooled ORR was 47% in patients with a germline BRCA mutation. Meta-regression showed that previous chemotherapy in the metastatic setting ( = -0.94, p = 0.006), especially platinum-based chemotherapy ( = -0.89, p = 0.02) were associated with highly significant negative association with ORR. A highly quantitatively significant negative association was observed for age ( = -0.80, p = 0.10), but this did not meet statistical significance. Performance status ( = 0.44, p = 0.38) and hormone receptor status (hormone receptors positive: = 0.46, p = 0.30) were not associated with response. Conclusions: PARPi therapy is associated with lesser response in patient with prior chemotherapy exposure, especially platinum-based treatment. Younger patients may benefit more from PARPi. There was no association between ORR and hormone receptor status.

Objectives The US Food and Drug Administration licensed ezetimibe in 2002 because of its ability to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, a surrogate marker for the risk of coronary artery disease. The negative results of the Effect of Ezetimibe Plus Simvastatin Versus Simvastatin Alone on Atherosclerosis in the Carotid Artery trial were published in 2008. Since then, we have seen 6 additional years without a landmark study in favor of ezetimibe. Furthermore, the new American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines (2013) now strongly downplay the use of nonstatin agents. We sought to determine whether ezetimibe use remains common in 2014 using a new cohort that we have created to teach residents how to perform clinically relevant research. Methods The McGill Teaching Unit Cohort is an anonymized prospective cohort study enrolling all patients admitted to the medical clinical teaching units of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, as of 2014. Information collected includes the receipt of cholesterol-lowering medications and other important demographics. Results Of the 783 patients enrolled on the date of analysis, 331 (42.7%) were receiving treatment for hypercholesterolemia. Of these, 156 (47%) were receiving primary prophylaxis. Overall, 323 patients (98%) were receiving a statin, 17 patients (5.1%) were receiving ezetimibe, and 5 patients (1.5%) were receiving a fibrate. Users of ezetimibe were more likely to be active smokers than nonusers (6/17 vs 42/314, P = .01); however, there were no other significant differences between important covariates or recent low-density lipoprotein measurements. Conclusions Ezetimibe use remains common amongst medical inpatients despite a lack of evidence supporting its efficacy.

Background: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is commonly used to assess cardiac morphology and function in cancer patients. The nature, distribution, and prevalence of significant echocardiographic abnormalities are unknown. We hypothesized that TTEs performed for cancer or cancer treatment indications, have a high prevalence of significant abnormalities (SA), including a large proportion of findings that may be overlooked by other imaging modalities. Methods: All TTE studies performed in a tertiary cancer center over a six-month period, from January to June 2007, were reviewed. The TTEs were divided into studies performed for a cardiovascular indication (CV) and those done for a cancer-related indication (CA). Reports were classified as normal, mildly abnormal, and significantly abnormal (SA) based on findings. Abnormal findings’ distributions were compared between indication groups. Results: Three thousand nine hundred and twenty-four TTEs were performed and divided into either group CV (61.2%) or group CA (38.7%). The most common indication in the CV group was valvular diseases (29.9%). In the CA group, the majority of TTE were requested for evaluation during or after chemotherapy or radiation (94.7%). Around 41.9% of studies in group CV were classified as SA whereas 19.9% (P < 0.001) in the CA group were classified as such. The relative distributions of individual SA findings were compared between the indication groups and were not statistically different. Conclusions: One in five patients who had TTE studies for CA were found to have SA, and 81.5% of these may not have been found with other modalities. The TTE allows safe diagnosis of a wide range of abnormal findings that may be overlooked if alternative but less versatile modalities are used. (Echocardiography 2011;28:1061-1067)

A 56-year-old woman with a new diagnosis of metastatic pancreatic cancer presents to the emergency room with generalised fatigue. The patient is afebrile, however, hypotensive and tachycardic. Physical examination shows diffuse lymphadenopathy. Initial laboratory tests indicate that the patient has hyperkalaemia, hypocalcaemia, with a high lactate dehydrogenase and high uric acid. The patient was also in renal failure. On the basis of the clinical presentation, the patient was diagnosed with spontaneous tumour lysis syndrome, despite the syndrome never having been reported in metastatic pancreatic cancer. The patient was treated appropriately with intravenous hydration, allopurinol and rasburicase. All laboratory abnormalities were corrected by day 3 of treatment.

522 Background: Breast cancer risk stratification with the 70-gene signature (70-GS) provides a binary low risk (LR) or high risk (HR) result; by contrast the 21-gene assay (21-GA) provides LR, intermediate (IR), and HR results. Results from these two assays were compared for 769 patients from 5 institutions. Methods: The study included patients from McGill University (n = 86), UPMC (n = 437), USF (n = 135), Morton Plant North Bay Hospital (n = 79), and Cleveland Clinic (n = 32, all 21-GA IR). Results: With the 70-GS, 487 (63%) patients had a LR and 282 (37%) patients had a HR result. Excluding 32 cases selected for 21-GA IR results (n = 737), the 21-GA gave 369 (50%), 250 (34%), and 118 (16%) patients with LR, IR, and HR scores, respectively. Using the TAILORx cutoff, there were 134 (18%), 432 (59%), and 171 (23%) patients with LR, IR, and HR scores, respectively. There were 329 (45%) and 486 (66%) patients who were not classified in the same risk category by both assays using the clinical and TAILORx cutoffs for IR, respectively. Conclusions: In a large multi-institutional study the 70-GS and 21-GA results were discordant in 45-66% of patients, and the proportion of patients with a 21-GA score in the IR range varied from 34-59%. The 70-GS provided clinically actionable results for all patients. [Table: see text]

e12127 Background: We prospectively investigated the incidence of neutropenic complications (NC) with neo/adjuvant AC (doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide) chemotherapy (CTX) among early-stage breast cancer (ESBC) patients. NC was defined as febrile neutropenia (FN), dose delay/reduction or need of granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSF) to proceed with CTX. Methods: This was a single-center, observational, prospective cohort study conducted at the McGill University Health Center. All ESBC patients who received AC regimen as neo/adjuvant CTX between February 2016 and February 2017 were included. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of predictors of NC were estimated using Cox-proportional hazards models. Results: A total of 118 patients, corresponding to 409 cycles of AC were analyzed. Most patients underwent Q3week cycles (83.1%). Median age was 52 years old (IQR 43-61). Prophylactic G-CSF was given to 20 dose-dense patients and 10 Q3weeks patients. In patients not receiving prophylactic G-CSF, 57 (65.5%) manifested at least one episode of NC (corresponding to an incidence rate of 26.4%/cycle of CTX [95% CI: 20.0%-34.2%]), of which 9 developed FN requiring hospital admission. In the final prediction model, body mass index < 25 kg/m2(HR: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.16-4.78) and increasing glucose levels (HR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.14-2.14) were significantly associated with NC. Baseline absolute neutrophil count (ANC) was protective. Conclusions: The incidence of NC in our prospective study is significantly higher than previously reported in retrospective studies (26.4% vs. 12%). Normal BMI and high glucose were associated with the highest risk of NC. More importantly, 65% of ESBC on AC will require G-CSF during their treatment due to a NC episode. [Table: see text]

In recent years, considerable attention has been paid to the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy as a pluripotential test bed for the treatment of breast cancer. Although traditionally reserved to render inoperable disease operable, neoadjuvant chemotherapy is increasingly being used to improve the chance for breast-conserving surgery, to gain information on pathologic response rates for a more rapid assessment of new chemotherapy&ndash, biologic regimens, and also to study in vivo tumour sensitivity or resistance to the agent being used.

The vast majority of melanoma-related deaths are due to disseminated malignancy. Many treated patients who are clinically disease-free will go on to relapse. Therefore, new prognostic tools must be developed to better assess metastatic potential and assist in patient management. Circulating tumor cells are a widely studied metastatic biomarker with promising prognostic utility, as the shedding of cells from the primary tumor into peripheral blood is a necessary step in disease dissemination. An assortment of technologies and techniques has been developed to isolate and detect circulating melanoma cells (CMCs), but a standardized method is yet to be established. It is the aim of this study to systematically review the diverse enrichment and detection methods of circulating tumor cells in cutaneous melanoma. A literature search yielded 351 articles, of which 74 were deemed eligible according to inclusion criteria, the primary requirement being the reporting of patient CMC positivity status stratified by the stage of melanoma. Pertinent studies were used to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Additionally, we calculated the sensitivity and specificity of seven common melanoma-associated markers based on the available literature.

TPS9643 Background: Chemotherapy induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN) is a common and feared side effect of taxanes and platinum based chemotherapy. CIPN often leads to a decrease in dose intens...

11017 Background: The Objective of our study was to investigate the concordance of patient results from a single university centre tested with the 21-gene recurrence score assay, Oncotype DX (ODX) ...

Anna Lisa Tedeschi,1 Zohreh Eslami,2 Evgenia Garoufalis,1 Ramy R Saleh,3 Atilla Omeroglu,2 Gulbeyaz Altinel,2 Maria Ait-Tihyaty,4 Bertrand Jean-Claude,4 Catalin Mihalcioiu1 1Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Center, Royal Victoria Hospital, 2Department of Pathology, 3Department of Medicine, McGill University, 4Cancer Drug Research Laboratory, Department ofMedicine, McGill University Health Center, Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada Background: The thymidine phosphorylase (TP) enzyme is expressed in higher levels in cancer tissue when compared with normal tissue. It is involved in the intratumoral activation of widely prescribed pyrimidine-derived antimetabolites such as 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine and capecitabine (Xeloda®). The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical correlation between TP expression in tumor tissue and the clinical outcome of capecitabine-based therapy in patients with locally advanced (stage III) or metastatic breast cancer (stage IV).Methods: The following variables were analyzed as potential determinants of benefit from a capecitabine-based therapy: TP expression, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 status, and Ki67 status. This was accomplished by immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded cancer tissues from 18 patients with breast cancer treated with at least one cycle of capecitabine. Clinical outcome was measured as time to progression.Results: TP staining intensities in both the invasive and in situ components in patients with lobular and ductal carcinomas were reported. Higher levels of TP in the invasive component were expressed in ER-negative tumors when compared with ER-positive tumors (P

We have carried out one trial of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (ACT) and two trials of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) followed by definitive surgery and ACT in consecutive patients seen at the University of Florida over a 10-year period [1, 2, 3, 4]. The aims of the adjuvant trial were to assess a new chemoradiotherapy regimen, to correlate the outcome with clinicopathological staging, and to compare the results in patients having immediate amputation with those having limb-preserving surgery. The aims of the NCT trials were to assess the initial efficacy of new drug combinations, to see if this predicted freedom from relapse, to increase the proportion of patients whose limbs were preserved, and to assess if the extent of adjacent spread of the primary lesion (E1-E6) [2] retained significance in a neoadjuvant setting.