R. Kreienberg

Neoadjuvant bevacizumab and anthracycline–taxane-based chemotherapy in 678 triple-negative primary breast cancers; results from the geparquinto study (GBG 44)

BACKGROUNDnWe evaluated the pathological complete response (pCR) rate after neoadjuvant epirubicin, (E) cyclophosphamide (C) and docetaxel containing chemotherapy with and without the addition of bevacizumab in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).nnnPATIENTS AND METHODSnPatients with untreated cT1c-4d TNBC represented a stratified subset of the 1948 participants of the HER2-negative part of the GeparQuinto trial. Patients were randomized to receive four cycles EC (90/600 mg/m(2); q3w) followed by four cycles docetaxel (100 mg/m(2); q3w) each with or without bevacizumab (15 mg/kg; q3w) added to chemotherapy.nnnRESULTSnTNBC patients were randomized to chemotherapy without (n = 340) or with bevacizumab (n = 323). pCR (ypT0 ypN0, primary end point) rates were 27.9% without and 39.3% with bevacizumab (P = 0.003). According to other pCR definitions, the addition of bevacizumab increased the pCR rate from 30.9% to 41.8% (ypT0 ypN0/+; P = 0.004), 36.2% to 46.4% (ypT0/is ypN0/+; P = 0.009) and 32.9% to 43.3% (ypT0/is ypN0; P = 0.007). Bevacizumab treatment [OR 1.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23-2.42; P = 0.002], lower tumor stage (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.24-4.54; P = 0.009) and grade 3 tumors (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.14-2.48; P = 0.009) were confirmed as independent predictors of higher pCR in multivariate logistic regression analysis.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThe addition of bevacizumab to chemotherapy in TNBC significantly increases pCR rates.

Standard treatment of female patients with breast cancer decreases substantially for women aged 70 years and older: a German clinical cohort study

BACKGROUNDnStandard treatment of patients with breast cancer decreases with age and older persons are mostly excluded from clinical trials. We hypothesized that non-adherence to treatment guidelines occurs for women aged > or =70 years and changes overall survival (OAS) and disease-free survival (DFS).nnnPATIENTS AND METHODSnWe enrolled 1922 women aged > or =50 years with histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer treated at the University of Ulm from 1992 to 2005. Adherence to guidelines and effects on OAS and DFS for women aged > or =70 years was compared with that for younger women (50-69 years).nnnRESULTSnWomen >70 years less often received recommended breast-conserving therapy (70-79 years: 74%-83%; >79 years: 54%) than women aged < or =69 years (93%). Non-adherence to the guidelines on radiotherapy (<70 years: 9%; 70-79 years: 14%-27%; >79 years: 60%) and chemotherapy (<70 years: 33%; 70-79 years: 54%-77%; > 79 years: 98%) increased with age. Omission of radiotherapy significantly decreased OAS [< or =69 years: hazard ratio (HR) = 3.29; P <0.0001; > or =70 years: HR = 1.89; P = 0.0005] and DFS (< or =69 years: HR = 3.45; P <0.0001; > or =70 years: HR = 2.14; P <0.0001). OAS and DFS did not differ significantly for adherence to surgery, chemotherapy, or endocrine therapy.nnnCONCLUSIONnOur study confirms that substandard treatment increases considerably with age. Omission of radiotherapy had the greatest impact on OAS and DFS in the elderly population.

The Patient's Anastrozole Compliance to Therapy (PACT) Program: a randomized, in-practice study on the impact of a standardized information program on persistence and compliance to adjuvant endocrine therapy in postmenopausal women with early breast cancer

BACKGROUNDnCompliance and persistence are often overlooked in adjuvant breast cancer treatment.nnnPATIENTS AND METHODSnPACT was a prospective, multicenter, randomized, open, parallel-group study assessing whether educational materials (EMs) enhanced compliance with aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy in postmenopausal women with early, hormone-receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer. The primary end points were compliance (proportion taking ≥ 80% anastrozole) at 12 months and persistence (proportion reporting anastrozole intake during the study period).nnnRESULTSnFour thousand eight hundred and forty-four patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive standard therapy or standard therapy with EMs. There was no difference between arms in compliance (N = 2740; 88.5%/88.8%, respectively, P = 0.81) or persistence rates (N = 2740; 40.5%/43.0%, respectively, P = 0.18). Modified end point analyses found no differences in compliance between arms based on the classification of: (i) patients with missing documentation or follow-up visit <9 months as non-compliant (N = 4397, P = 0.15); (ii) patients with early (≤ 292 days) 12-month follow-up documentation excluded (N = 4091, P = 0.19); (iii) patients reaching ≥ 80% compliance during individual follow-up as compliant (N = 4397, P = 0.26). Modified persistence analyses found no difference between arms (N = 4397, P = 0.37).nnnCONCLUSIONSnAddition of EMs to standard therapy did not significantly affect compliance and persistence with adjuvant anastrozole. CLINICALTRIALS ID: NCT00555867.

Integrating bevacizumab, everolimus, and lapatinib into current neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen for primary breast cancer. Safety results of the GeparQuinto trial

BACKGROUNDnSafety data for combining bevacizumab, everolimus, or lapatinib with anthracycline- and taxane-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer are limited.nnnPATIENTS AND METHODSnThe neoadjuvant GeparQuinto trial investigates the addition of (i) bevacizumab to four cycles epirubicin/cyclophosphamide (EC) followed by four cycles docetaxel (Taxotere) in patients with human epithelial growth factor receptor (HER)2-negative tumors, (ii) everolimus to weekly paclitaxel in patients with HER2-negative tumors not responding to EC ± bevacizumab, and (iii) lapatinib instead of trastuzumab to EC-docetaxel in patients with HER2-positive tumors to improve the rate of pathological complete response. Tolerable dose, need for supportive treatments, and early signals for toxic effect were evaluated in a planned safety analysis of 270 patients.nnnRESULTSnTreatment with chemotherapy plus bevacizumab, everolimus, or lapatinib was discontinued in 23.0%, 25.8%, and 34.5% compared with chemotherapy alone or plus trastuzumab in 19.4%, 24.1%, 3.2%, respectively. More leukopenia, infections, mucositis, and hypertension but less edema was observed by adding bevacizumab; a trend toward more thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, skin changes, and hyperlipidemia by adding everolimus; and more diarrhea, skin changes, and hot flushes but no cardiac events by substituting trastuzumab by lapatinib.nnnCONCLUSIONSnAdding bevacizumab and everolimus to chemotherapy appeared feasible. Lapatinib at 1250 mg resulted in an increased rate of treatment discontinuations and was subsequently dose reduced to 1000 mg.

Abstract S3-1: Lapatinib vs Trastuzumab in Combination with Neoadjuvant Anthracycline-Taxane-Based Chemotherapy: Primary Efficacy Endpoint Analysis of the GEPARQUINTO STUDY (GBG 44)

Background: The tyrosine-kinase inhibitor lapatinib (L) has shown to improve efficacy of cytotoxic and endocrine treatment in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (BC). Improved pathological complete response (pCR) rates were demonstrated by adding trastuzumab (T) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. However, so far no head-to-head comparison of the two anti-HER2-agents is available. One primary aim of the GeparQuinto study was to improve the pCR rate by adding L instead of T to anthracycline-taxane-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We previously reported interim safety data of this study showing more diarrhea, skin changes, and hot flushes, but no cardiac events with L compared to T (von Minckwitz G et al, Ann Oncol 2010 in press). Patients and Methods: Patients (P) with untreated HER2-positive BC were eligible if they had cT3/4a-d; or estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PgR) receptor-negative; or ER/PgR-positive tumors with clinically N+ (for cT2) or pNSLN+ (for cT1) disease, and no increased cardiac risks. P were randomized to receive 4 cycles epirubicin/cyclophosphamide (EC) (90/600 mg/m2) q3w followed by 4 cycles docetaxel (D) (100mg/m2) given in combination with either T 6 (loading dose 8) mg/kg every 3 weeks or L 1000-1250 mg/d throughout all cycles. pCR was defined as no invasive or non-invasive tumor residuals in breast and nodes. We assumed a pCR rate of 26% with ECT-DT (based on GeparQuattro) and expected a pCR of 37% for ECL-DL (odds ratio 1.67). A two-sided Pearson9s Chi2 with α=0.05 and β=0.20 calculated a sample size of 613 P. Results: Between May ‘07 and June ‘10 597 P were randomized to ECT-DT (N=299) and ECL-DL (N=298). Median tumor size was 40/40 [T/L] mm (clinically) and 28/29 mm (sonographically); 4.7%/4.3% had T4a-c, 14.8%/14.2% T4d, 2.9%/1.8% bilateral, 17.0%/17.7% multifocal, and 9.0%/12.1% multicentric disease, 96.7%/97.9% had non-lobular, 45.6%/48.9% grade 3, 70.0%/67.7% node-positive, and 56.5%/56.0% ER and PgR-negative disease. Baseline characteristics were well balanced between the treatment arms. The last randomized P will have surgery early Dec910. Final results on histological response and surgical outcome will be reported. Conclusion: The GeparQuinto trial will provide for the first time randomized phase III efficacy data on the comparison of L and H in combination to chemotherapy for patients with early breast cancer. As pCR has been confirmed as being a surrogate marker for long-term outcome after T treatment, this result will give insight on the overall efficacy of L in patients with early breast cancer. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr S3-1.

COMPliance and Arthralgia in Clinical Therapy: the COMPACT trial, assessing the incidence of arthralgia, and compliance within the first year of adjuvant anastrozole therapy

BACKGROUNDnThis prospective study evaluated the relationship between arthralgia and compliance during the first year of adjuvant anastrozole therapy in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer.nnnPATIENTS AND METHODSnCOMPliance and Arthralgia in Clinical Therapy (COMPACT) was an open-label, multicenter, noninterventional study conducted in Germany. Patients had started adjuvant anastrozole 3-6 months before the study start. The primary end points were arthralgia, compliance, and the relationship between compliance and arthralgia, assessed at specific time points.nnnRESULTSnOverall, 1916 patients received upfront anastrozole. Mean arthralgia scores were increased from baseline at each visit up to 9 months. Compliance with anastrozole therapy gradually decreased over time from baseline to 9 months (P<0.001). At 9 months, investigators estimated that >95% of patients were compliant versus patient reports of <70%. There was a significant association between arthralgia mean scores and noncompliance at 6 months (P<0.0001), 9 months (P<0.0001), and overall (P<0.0001). Over time, new events or impairment of existing arthralgias were reported in 14% (3 months), 11% (6 months), and 9% (9 months) of patients.nnnCONCLUSIONnArthralgia is important in the clinical management of women with early breast cancer and may contribute to noncompliance and clinical outcomes.nnnCLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIERnNCT00857012.

Adjuvant endocrine treatment with medroxyprogesterone acetate or tamoxifen in stage I and II endometrial cancer—a multicentre, open, controlled, prospectively randomised trial

Endometrial cancer is a hormone-dependent disease and therefore an adjuvant hormonal therapy might improve the outcome in the early stages of the disease. Between 1983 and 1989, we conducted a randomised trial of 388 patients who received either medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) (n=133) or tamoxifen (n=121) orally for 2 years, or were observed only (n=134) after surgical therapy. The aim was to evaluate whether an adjuvant treatment can improve disease-free and overall survival rates. After a median follow-up period of 56 months (range 3-199 months), we observed no differences in the disease-free and overall survival rates for the tamoxifen group compared with the control or the MPA group. Side-effects were more frequent and severe in the MPA-group than in the tamoxifen group. In patients with early endometrial cancer, adjuvant endocrine treatment did not significantly improve the outcome. However, tamoxifen did have some beneficial effects on coexisting morbidity.

Final analysis of the prospective WSG-AGO EC-Doc versus FEC phase III trial in intermediate-risk (pN1) early breast cancer: efficacy and predictive value of Ki67 expression

BACKGROUNDnTaxane-based adjuvant chemotherapy is standard in node-positive (N+) early breast cancer (BC). The magnitude of benefit in intermediate-risk N+ early BC is still unclear. WSG-AGO epiribicine and cyclophosphamide (EC)-Doc is a large trial evaluating modern taxane-based chemotherapy in patients with 1-3 positive lymph nodes (LNs) only.nnnPATIENTS AND METHODSnA total of 2011 BC patients (18-65 years, pN1) were entered into a randomized phase III trial comparing 4 × E90C600 q3w followed by 4 × docetaxel 100 q3w (n = 1008) with the current standard: 6 × F500E100C500 q3w (n = 828) or C600M40F600 d1, 8× q4w (n = 175). Primary end point was event-free survival (EFS); secondary end points were overall survival (OS), toxicity, translational research, and quality of life. Central tumor bank samples were evaluable in a representative collective (n = 772; 40%). Ki-67 was assessed centrally in hormone receptor-positive disease as a surrogate marker for the distinction of luminal A/B-like tumors.nnnRESULTSnBaseline characteristics were well balanced between study arms in both main study and central tumor bank subset. At 59-month median follow-up, superior efficacy of EC-Doc [versus FEC (a combination of 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide)] was seen in EFS and OS: 5-year EFS: 89.8% versus 87.3% (P = 0.038); 5-year OS: 94.5% versus 92.8% (P = 0.034); both tests one-tailed. EC-Doc caused more toxicity. In hormone receptor-positive (HR)+ disease, only high-Ki-67 tumors (≥ 20%) derived significant benefit from taxane-based therapy: hazard ratio = 0.39 (95% CI 0.18-0.82) for EC-Doc versus FEC (test for interaction; P = 0.01).nnnCONCLUSIONnEC-Doc significantly improved EFS and OS versus FEC in intermediate-risk BC (1-3 LNs) within all subgroups as defined by local pathology. In HR+ disease, patients with luminal A-like tumors may be potentially over-treated by taxane-based chemotherapy.nnnCLINICAL TRIAL NUMBERnClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02115204.

S2-4: GAIN Study: A Phase III Trial To Compare ETC vs. EC-TX and Ibandronate vs. Observation in Patients with Node-Positive Primary Breast Cancer – 1st Interim Efficacy Analysis.

Background: We previously showed that intense dose-dense (idd) epirubicin (E), paclitaxel (T), cyclophosphamide (C) results in a superior DFS and OS compared to conventionally dosed EC-T in pts with primary breast cancer (PBC) and ≥4 involved lymph nodes (LN) (Mobus et al JCO 2010). In the GAIN study, the intense dose-dense strategy has been further investigated as well as the adjuvant application of ibandronate (I). We here report on the planned interim efficacy analysis after 50% (N>401) of the required events have occurred. Methods: A prospective, multi-center, controlled, non-blinded, randomized phase III trial investigating ETC (E: 150 mg/m 2 , T:225 mg/m 2 , C:2500–2000 mg/m 2 , i.v. day 1, q15 for 3 cycles each: A1); or EC→TX (E: 112.5 mg/m 2 + C: 600 mg/m 2 , i.v. day 1, q 15 for 4 cycles→T: 67.5 mg/m 2 i.v. day 1, q 8 for 10 weeks + X: 2000 mg/m 2 p. o. day 1–14, q 22 for 4 cycles: A2). Pts were further randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive ibandronate: 50 mg/day p.o. for 2 years (B1) or observation (B2). Pts received a primary prophylaxis with either epoetin β or darbepoetin α and pegfilgrastim during ETC or EC. After recruitment of 1500 pts prophylactic ciprofloxacin was implemented and the dose of C was reduced to 2000 mg/m 2 . Eligibility : Females ≥18 and Primary objective:compare DFS A1 vs. A2 and B1 vs.B2. Secondary objectives: OS, safety, incidence of secondary primaries, and EFS in subgroups of hormone sensitivity and number of pos. LN between arms; assessment of compliance; determine prognostic factors. 3000 pts with 801 events were needed to show an increase of 5-year DFS from 75% to 79% for pts receiving EC→TX and 728 events to show an increase of 5-year DFS from 75% to 79.5% for pts receiving I, assuming a drop-out rate of 5%, α=0.05 (two-sided)and 1-β =80%. An interim analysis for both primary objectives was planned after 50% of the expected events occurred. Safety results have been reported previously (Mobus et al. SABCS 2009). Results: 3023 patients were randomized between 06/2004 and 08/2008.1512 received ETC and 1511 EC→TX. 29pts never started therapy, 14 in ETC, 15 in EC→TX. Median follow-up is 38.7 months. Median age was 50 years; pN1 (37.7%), pN2 (35.4%); pN3 (26.9%); 77.4% had ductal invasive carcinoma, 46.6% were grade 3; 76.7% had hormone receptor-positive tumors, 22% were HER2−positive. 405 events have occurred by 12.05.2011.380pts relapsed and 25pts. died w/o relapse. The interim futility boundary for chemotherapy was not crossed. For the ibandronate question the futility boundary was reached. There was no difference in DFS and OS between the patients with and without ibandronate (DFS log-rank p=0.593; HR 1.059; 95%CI 0.861−1.301; OS log-rank p=0.801 HR 0.961; 95% CI 0.705−1.31). Conclusion: The GAIN study demonstrated that adjuvant ibandronate does neither improve DFS nor OS in primary node positive breast cancer after treatment with dose-intensified chemotherapy. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr S2-4.

The impact of adjuvant radiotherapy on the survival of primary breast cancer patients: a retrospective multicenter cohort study of 8935 subjects

BACKGROUNDnRadiotherapy (RT) is proven to be an important backbone for adjuvant therapy in randomized, controlled trials, but it is unclear if these effects are provable in a daily routine cohort of breast cancer patients. This study sought to answer the following questions in a daily routine cohort of breast cancer patients: 1. Does guideline-adherent RT improve primary breast cancer patient survival? 2. Is breast-conserving surgery (BCS) followed by RT equal to a mastectomy (MA) with regard to outcome parameters? 3. Does adjuvant RT compensate for an incomplete tumor resection (R1)?nnnPATIENTS AND METHODSnIn this retrospective, multicenter cohort study, we investigated data from 8935 primary breast cancer patients recruited from 17 participating certified breast cancer centers in Germany between 1992 and 2008. Guideline adherence based on internationally validated guidelines.nnnRESULTSnThe patients who received guideline-adherent RT for primary breast cancer were associated with significantly improved survival parameters [recurrence-free survival (RFS): P < 0.001; overall survival (OS): P < 0.001] compared with patients who did not receive guideline-adherent adjuvant RT. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that there were no significant differences in RFS and OS between BCS followed by RT and MA [RFS: P = 0.293; OS: P = 0.104]. Adjuvant RT did not improve the outcome of patients receiving nonguideline-adherent incomplete tumor resection via BCS (R1); these patients showed a significantly impaired RFS [P < 0.001] and OS [P < 0.001] compared with patients who underwent guideline-adherent complete tumor resection via BCS (R0). In addition, non-guideline-adherent RT after MA (overtherapy) did not significantly influence survival [RFS: P = 0.838; OS: P = 0.613].nnnCONCLUSIONnOur study confirms the importance of guideline-adherent adjuvant RT. It shows highly significant associations between RFS or OS and guideline adherent RT. Nevertheless, inadequate (R1-) surgical resection in a daily routine cohort of patients increases the risk of local recurrence and appears not to be compensated by the following RT.BACKGROUNDnRadiotherapy (RT) is proven to be an important backbone for adjuvant therapy in randomized, controlled trials, but it is unclear if these effects are provable in a daily routine cohort of breast cancer patients. This study sought to answer the following questions in a daily routine cohort of breast cancer patients: 1. Does guideline-adherent RT improve primary breast cancer patient survival? 2. Is breast-conserving surgery (BCS) followed by RT equal to a mastectomy (MA) with regard to outcome parameters? 3. Does adjuvant RT compensate for an incomplete tumor resection (R1)?nnnPATIENTS AND METHODSnIn this retrospective, multicenter cohort study, we investigated data from 8935 primary breast cancer patients recruited from 17 participating certified breast cancer centers in Germany between 1992 and 2008. Guideline adherence based on internationally validated guidelines.nnnRESULTSnThe patients who received guideline-adherent RT for primary breast cancer were associated with significantly improved survival parameters [recurrence-free survival (RFS): P < 0.001; overall survival (OS): P < 0.001] compared with patients who did not receive guideline-adherent adjuvant RT. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that there were no significant differences in RFS and OS between BCS followed by RT and MA [RFS: P = 0.293; OS: P = 0.104]. Adjuvant RT did not improve the outcome of patients receiving nonguideline-adherent incomplete tumor resection via BCS (R1); these patients showed a significantly impaired RFS [P < 0.001] and OS [P < 0.001] compared with patients who underwent guideline-adherent complete tumor resection via BCS (R0). In addition, non-guideline-adherent RT after MA (overtherapy) did not significantly influence survival [RFS: P = 0.838; OS: P = 0.613].nnnCONCLUSIONnOur study confirms the importance of guideline-adherent adjuvant RT. It shows highly significant associations between RFS or OS and guideline adherent RT. Nevertheless, inadequate (R1-) surgical resection in a daily routine cohort of patients increases the risk of local recurrence and appears not to be compensated by the following RT.