Lasofoxifene versus fulvestrant for ER+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer with an ESR1 mutation: results from the randomized, phase II ELAINE 1 trial

BACKGROUND

Acquired estrogen receptor alpha (ER/ESR1) mutations commonly cause endocrine resistance in ER+ metastatic breast cancer (mBC). Lasofoxifene, a novel selective ER modulator, stabilizes an antagonist conformation of wild-type and ESR1-mutated ER-ligand binding domains, and has antitumor activity in ESR1-mutated xenografts.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this open-label, randomized, phase II, multicenter, ELAINE 1 study (NCT03781063), we randomized women with ESR1-mutated, ER+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) mBC that had progressed on an aromatase inhibitor (AI) plus a cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) to oral lasofoxifene 5 mg daily or IM fulvestrant 500 mg (days 1, 15, and 29, and then every 4 weeks) until disease progression/toxicity. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS); secondary endpoints were safety/tolerability.

RESULTS

A total of 103 patients received lasofoxifene (n = 52) or fulvestrant (n = 51). The most current efficacy analysis showed that lasofoxifene did not significantly prolong median PFS compared with fulvestrant: 24.2 weeks (∼5.6 months) versus 16.2 weeks (∼3.7 months; P = 0.138); hazard ratio 0.699 (95% confidence interval 0.434-1.125). However, PFS and other clinical endpoints numerically favored lasofoxifene: clinical benefit rate (36.5% versus 21.6%; P = 0.117), objective response rate [13.2% (including a complete response in one lasofoxifene-treated patient) versus 2.9%; P = 0.124], and 6-month (53.4% versus 37.9%) and 12-month (30.7% versus 14.1%) PFS rates. Most common treatment-emergent adverse events with lasofoxifene were nausea, fatigue, arthralgia, and hot flushes. One death occurred in the fulvestrant arm. Circulating tumor DNA ESR1 mutant allele fraction (MAF) decreased from baseline to week 8 in 82.9% of evaluable lasofoxifene-treated versus 61.5% of fulvestrant-treated patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Lasofoxifene demonstrated encouraging antitumor activity versus fulvestrant and was well tolerated in patients with ESR1-mutated, endocrine-resistant mBC following progression on AI plus CDK4/6i. Consistent with target engagement, lasofoxifene reduced ESR1 MAF, and to a greater extent than fulvestrant. Lasofoxifene may be a promising targeted treatment for patients with ESR1-mutated mBC and warrants further investigation.

Quantifying T2-FLAIR Mismatch Using Geographically Weighted Regression and Predicting Molecular Status in Lower-Grade Gliomas

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The T2-FLAIR mismatch sign is a validated imaging sign of isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutant 1p/19q noncodeleted gliomas. It is identified by radiologists through visual inspection of preoperative MR imaging scans and has been shown to identify isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutant 1p/19q noncodeleted gliomas with a high positive predictive value. We have developed an approach to quantify the T2-FLAIR mismatch signature and use it to predict the molecular status of lower-grade gliomas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We used multiparametric MR imaging scans and segmentation labels of 108 preoperative lower-grade glioma tumors from The Cancer Imaging Archive. Clinical information and T2-FLAIR mismatch sign labels were obtained from supplementary material of relevant publications. We adopted an objective analytic approach to estimate this sign through a geographically weighted regression and used the residuals for each case to construct a probability density function (serving as a residual signature). These functions were then analyzed using an appropriate statistical framework.

RESULTS

We observed statistically significant (P value = .05) differences between the averages of residual signatures for an isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutant 1p/19q noncodeleted class of tumors versus other categories. Our classifier predicts these cases with area under the curve of 0.98 and high specificity and sensitivity. It also predicts the T2-FLAIR mismatch sign within these cases with an under the curve of 0.93.

CONCLUSIONS

On the basis of this retrospective study, we show that geographically weighted regression-based residual signatures are highly informative of the T2-FLAIR mismatch sign and can identify isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutation and 1p/19q codeletion status with high predictive power. The utility of the proposed quantification of the T2-FLAIR mismatch sign can be potentially validated through a prospective multi-institutional study.

A pan-Canadian prospective study of young women with breast cancer: the rationale and protocol design for the RUBY study

Introduction

The understanding of the biology and epidemiology of, and the optimal therapeutic strategies for, breast cancer (bca) in younger women is limited. We present the rationale, design, and initial recruitment of Reducing the Burden of Breast Cancer in Young Women (ruby), a unique national prospective cohort study designed to examine the diagnosis, treatment, quality of life, and outcomes from the time of diagnosis for young women with bca.

Methods

Over a 4-year period at 33 sites across Canada, the ruby study will use a local and virtual recruitment model to enrol 1200 women with bca who are 40 years of age or younger at the time of diagnosis, before initiation of any treatment. At a minimum, comprehensive patient, tumour, and treatment data will be collected to evaluate recurrence and survival. Patients may opt to complete patient-reported questionnaires, to provide blood and tumour samples, and to be contacted for future research, forming the core dataset from which 4 subprojects evaluating genetics, lifestyle factors, fertility, and local management or delivery of care will be performed.

Summary

The ruby study will be the most comprehensive repository of data, biospecimens, and patient-reported outcomes ever collected with respect to young women with bca from the time of diagnosis, enabling research unique to that population now and into the future. This research model could be used for other oncology settings in Canada.

Willingness of women with early estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer to take adjuvant CDK4/6 inhibitors

Background

The steady decline in breast cancer (bca) mortality has come at the cost of increasingly toxic and expensive adjuvant therapies. Trials evaluating the addition of 2 or 3 years of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (cdk4/6) inhibitors to adjuvant endocrine therapy (et) are ongoing, but the willingness of patients to take such additional therapy is unknown.

Methods

We surveyed 100 consecutive postmenopausal women with nonmetastatic estrogen receptor-positive bca who had initiated adjuvant et within the preceding 2 years. Participants were asked about perceived recurrence risk, bca worry, and overall health. They were then asked about their willingness to accept 2 years of treatment with an additional oral drug that would reduce recurrence by 40% for a range of baseline recurrence risks in 2 hypothetical scenarios.

Results

Mean age of the 99 evaluable participants was 61.7 years. In the scenario with no drug toxicity, 85% of respondents were likely to accept the new drug for a reduction in recurrence to 30% from 50%, but only 49% would take the drug if risk was reduced to 3% from 5%. In a scenario with drug-induced fatigue, the corresponding drug acceptance rates were 55% and 39% respectively. For the second scenario, bca worry was correlated with increased willingness to take the drug, even for only a 2% absolute reduction in recurrence risk.

Conclusions

The willingness of patients with estrogen receptor-positive bca to take an adjuvant cdk4/6 inhibitor will greatly depend on the expected benefit and toxicities described to them as well as on worry about bca recurrence.

Abstract GS6-01: Surgical treatment after neoadjuvant systemic therapy in young women with breast cancer: Results from a prospective cohort study

Background

Young women are more likely than older women to present with higher stage breast cancer (BC) and may benefit to a greater extent from downstaging with neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NST). Young age is also associated with greater likelihood of pathologic complete response (pCR). Using a large prospective cohort of young women with BC, we investigated response to neoadjuvant therapy, eligibility for breast conserving surgery (BCS) pre- and post-NST, and surgical treatment.

Methods

The Young Women's Breast Cancer Study (YWS) is a multi-center cohort of women diagnosed with BC at age ≤40, that enrolled 1302 patients from 2006 to 2016. Disease characteristics and treatment information were obtained through medical record and central pathology review. Surgical recommendation before and after NST, conversion from BCS borderline/ineligible to BCS eligible, surgery, documented reasons for choosing mastectomy (MTX) among BCS eligible women, and final pathologic response were independently reviewed.

Results

Among 1302 women enrolled in YWS, 801 (62%) presented with unilateral stage I-III breast cancer and 317(40%) received NST. Median age was 36 years old (22-40). Pre-NST, 85/317 (27%) were BCS eligible, 49 (15%) were borderline, and 169 (53%) were not eligible (16 inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), 88 large tumor size /cosmetic, 48 diffuse calcifications, and 83 multicentricity). Among the 218 patients who were BCS ineligible/borderline pre-NST, 82 (38%) became eligible for BCS after NST. 4 patients who were BCS eligible pre-NST became ineligible. Of all patients eligible for BCS post-NST (n=163), 80 (49%) attempted BCS, 74 (93%) of whom were successful, and 83 (51%) chose MTX. Reasons for choosing MTX included: patient preference (38/83 (46%)), BRCA or TP53 mutation (31 (37%)), family history (3 (4%)), unknown (11 (13%)). On final pathology, 75 (24%) patients had pCR. Among patients who achieved a pCR, 48 (64%) underwent MTX, fewer than half (21/48 (44%)) were for anatomic indications (IBC, large tumor at diagnosis, diffuse calcifications, multicentric disease).

Conclusion

While NST doubled the proportion of young women eligible for BCS, nearly half chose MTX regardless of response to NST, mostly for personal preference or high-risk preventative reasons. These data highlight that surgical decision making among young women with breast cancer is often driven by factors beyond extent of disease and clinical response to therapy.

Table 1.Clinical-pathologic characteristicsCharacteristicsNumber%Pre NST surgical recommendation  BCS eligible8526.8Borderline4915.5BCS ineligible16953.3Unknown144.4Clinical Response  Complete20263.7Partial9229.0Stable30.9Progressing72.2Unknown134.1Pathologic Response  pCR (No invasive or DCIS)7524No pCR24276Post NST Surgical recommendation  BCS eligible16351.4BCS ineligible14445.4Unknown103.2Attempted surgery  BCS8025.2MTX23674.1Unknown20.6Final Surgery  BCS7423.3MTX24176unknown20.6

Citation Format: Kim HJ, Dominici L, Rosenberg S, Pak LM, Poorvu PD, Ruddy K, Tamimi R, Schapira L, Come S, Peppercorn J, Borges V, Warner E, Vardeh H, Collins L, King T, Partridge A. Surgical treatment after neoadjuvant systemic therapy in young women with breast cancer: Results from a prospective cohort study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr GS6-01.

Abstract OT1-01-06: POSITIVE: A study evaluating Pregnancy, disease outcome and safety of interrupting endocrine therapy for premenopausal women with endocrine responsIVE breast cancer who desire pregnancy (IBCSG 48-14/BIG 8-13)

Background

Young patients with breast cancer (BC) are often diagnosed with the disease before completing their families. The best available retrospective evidence suggests that pregnancy after BC does not negatively impact disease outcomes in patients with endocrine responsive BC and is safe for the offspring. However, given the possibility of extended adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) (5-10 years), it is not feasible for many of these women to delay pregnancy until completion of therapy and thus there is a need to study the safety of interrupting ET to allow pregnancy. To date, no prospective study has been conducted in BC survivors attempting future pregnancy.

Trial Design

Young patients with endocrine responsive early BC who desire pregnancy will interrupt ET for up to 2 yrs to attempt pregnancy. As resumption of menses and conception depends on many factors (e.g. patient's age and adjuvant treatment received), the 2-yr interruption period is approximate, intended to include treatment wash-out (3 mos), conception (˜3-6 mos), delivery (˜9 mos), and breast feeding (˜6 mos). Patients will be strongly advised to resume ET as soon as pregnancy attempts/deliveries are concluded, and to complete the planned 5-10 yrs of ET.

Major Eligibility Criteria

- Histologically-proven stage I-III endocrine-responsive BC.

- Patient's wish to become pregnant.

- Age ≥ 18 and ≤ 42 years at enrollment.

- Adjuvant ET (selective estrogen receptor modulator [SERM] alone, GnRH analogue plus SERM or aromatase inhibitor) for ≥18 months but ≤30 months, stopped within 1 month prior to enrollment.

- Premenopausal status at BC diagnosis.

Specific Aim

To assess the risk of BC relapse associated with the interruption of ET to permit pregnancy, and to evaluate pregnancy success rate and offspring outcome.

Statistical Methods

With 500 pts enrolled and followed for a median of 3 years, the statistical design is based on the 95% CI for the 3-year BC recurrence rate. Interim monitoring assumes a 2% BC recurrence risk/yr with continuous ET and a recommendation to stop the study early if the BC risk exceeds 4%/yr with ET interruption.

Translational Research will investigate various ovarian function and uterine parameters and circulating tumour DNA. Fresh frozen paraffin embedded tissue of the primary tumour will be collected to evaluate parameters related to the biology of BC in young women. All material will be banked centrally.

Psycho-oncological Companion Study (POCS) will evaluate fertility concerns, psychological well-being and decisional conflict. It is mandatory in North America and open to interested centers elsewhere.

Accrual: Target: 500; Actual: 262 (30 June 2018)

Psycho-oncological Companion Study Accrual: Target: 200; Actual: 138 (30 June 2018)

Citation Format: Pagani O, Partridge AH, Peccatori F, Azim HA, Colleoni M, Saura C, Kroep JR, Warner E, Gombos A, Sætersdal AB, Ruggeri M, Gelber RD, Sun Z. POSITIVE: A study evaluating Pregnancy, disease outcome and safety of interrupting endocrine therapy for premenopausal women with endocrine responsIVE breast cancer who desire pregnancy (IBCSG 48-14/BIG 8-13) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr OT1-01-06.

Abstract P6-22-03: Tumor phenotype and concordance in synchronous bilateral breast cancer in young women

Background: Synchronous bilateral breast cancer is rare, with reported incidence from 0.3-12%; the incidence and pattern of bilateral breast cancer among younger women is unknown. Here we report the incidence and phenotypes of bilateral breast cancer in women ≤40 years of age enrolled in the Young Women's Study (YWS) cohort.

Methods: The YWS is a multi-center, prospective cohort study that enrolled women with newly diagnosed breast cancer at age ≤40 years from 2006-2016. Those with synchronous bilateral breast cancer (in-situ and/or invasive) formed our study cohort. Disease characteristics and treatment were obtained by medical record review. Central pathology review was performed to capture histologic features and categorize the tumor phenotype as either luminal A (hormone receptor (HR)+, HER2-, grade 1 or 2), luminal B (HR+, HER2+, or HER2- and grade 3), HER2-type (HR-, HER2+), or triple negative (TNC; HR/HER2-). Tumor phenotypes of bilateral breast cancers were compared and evaluated for concordance.

Results: Among 1302 patients enrolled in the YWS, 20 (1.5%) patients presented with bilateral disease, with median age of diagnosis of 38 years (range 18-40). The majority of patients (13 (65%)) presented with unilateral symptoms and contralateral disease was identified on subsequent imaging. 12 (60%) reported a positive family history of breast cancer and 17 (85%) underwent genetic testing; resulting in the identification of 6 mutation carriers (2 BRCA1, 3 BRCA2, 1 TP53). The majority of patients (15 (75%)) underwent bilateral mastectomy, 1 underwent unilateral mastectomy with contralateral lumpectomy, and 4 underwent bilateral lumpectomy. On pathology, 2 patients had bilateral in-situ disease, 5 had unilateral invasive and contralateral in-situ disease, and 13 had bilateral invasive disease. Of those with bilateral invasive disease, all had concordant tumor histology (92% ductal, 8% ductal and lobular), 10 (77%) patients had bilateral luminal tumors and when fully characterized 6 were of the same luminal type. Only one patient had bilateral basal-like breast cancer.

Patient ID ERPRHer2 amplifiedGradePhenotype1Left++-2Luminal A Right++-3Luminal B3Left++-3Luminal B Right++-3Luminal B6Left++-3Luminal B Right++-3Luminal B9Left++-2Luminal A Right++-2Luminal A10Left+++3Luminal B Right++-2Luminal A12Left+--3Luminal B Right+--2Luminal A13Left---NABasal-like Right++-NALuminal A or B14Left+++2Luminal B Right++-3Luminal B15Left++-3Luminal B Right+++3Luminal B16Left+++3Luminal B Right--+NAHEr2-type17Left---3Basal-like Right---3Basal-like19Left++-2Luminal A Right++-3Luminal B20Left++-1Luminal A Right++-2Luminal A

Conclusions: Among a large cohort of young women, only 20 (1.5%) had bilateral disease, and the majority of the invasive tumors were of the luminal phenotype, yet frequently differed by grade or HER2 status; supporting the need for thorough pathologic evaluation of bilateral disease to determine risk and tailor treatment. Overall the low incidence of bilateral disease and preponderance of the luminal phenotype in this population is reassuring.

Citation Format: Pak LM, Rosenberg SM, Ruddy KJ, Tamimi RM, Peppercorn J, Schapira L, Borges VF, Come SE, Warner E, Snow C, Collins L, King TA, Partridge AH. Tumor phenotype and concordance in synchronous bilateral breast cancer in young women [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-22-03.

Abstract GS6-06: Local therapy and quality of life outcomes in young women with breast cancer

Background: Increasing rates of mastectomy, primarily bilateral mastectomy (BMx), have been most dramatic in young women with breast cancer (BC). Impact on long-term quality of life (QOL) is largely unknown.

Methods: Between 10/2016-11/2017, we administered the BREAST-Q, a validated patient-reported outcomes measure, to women dx with BC at age ≤40 in a large prospective cohort study. Demographic and treatment information was obtained by surveys and chart review. Mean BREAST-Q scores for each domain (breast satisfaction, physical, psychosocial, and sexual) were compared by surgery types; higher BREAST-Q scores (range: 0-100) indicate better QOL. Linear regression was used to identify predictors of BREAST-Q domain scores.

Results: 581 women with stage 0-3 BC completed the BREAST-Q a median of 5.8 years from dx. Median age at dx was 37 (range: 26-40) years; 86% had stage 0, 1 or 2 disease; 28% had breast-conserving surgery (BCS); 72% had mastectomy (Mx), among whom 72% underwent BMx and 89% had reconstruction. Mean BREAST-Q scores (unadjusted) for breast satisfaction, psychosocial, and sexual well-being were lower for patients having unilateral mastectomy (UMx) or BMx compared to BCS; physical function was similar among groups. In multivariate analysis, lower BREAST-Q psychosocial scores were associated with radiation and Mx (UMx or BMx). Lower sexual well-being scores were also associated with Mx. Lower satisfaction with breast scores following radiation were of a clinically significant magnitude (β -8.1 95% CI -11.9- -4.3, p-value 0.03). Lower scores for physical well-being were seen for patients reporting lymphedema and higher for those who had undergone surgery more than 5 years prior. Lower scores across all 4 domains were associated with reported financial distress.

BREAST-Q domain mean scores (SD) BMxUMxBCSp-valueBreast satisfaction60.3 (18.9)59.5 (21.3)65.9 (20.7)0.008Physical well-being78.6 (14.9)79.7 (15.1)78.9 (15.5)0.8Psychosocial well-being68.1 (20.8)70.5 (21.2)76.1 (20.5)<0.001Sexual well-being48.6 (21.3)53.2 (21.7)57.5 (18.7)<0.001SD Standard deviation

Conclusion: Local therapy in young breast cancer survivors may have a persistent impact on their breast satisfaction, psychosocial, and sexual outcomes, with particular effects from UMx or BMx. Socio-economic stressors also appear to play a role. When counseling young women about their surgical decisions, knowledge of potential long-term QOL impact is of critical importance.

Citation Format: Dominici LS, Hu J, King TA, Ruddy KJ, Tamimi RM, Peppercorn J, Schapira L, Borges VF, Come SE, Warner E, Partridge AH, Rosenberg SM. Local therapy and quality of life outcomes in young women with breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr GS6-06.

Abstract P2-08-07: Prognostic impact of the 21-gene recurrence score assay among young women with node-negative and node-positive ER+/HER2- breast cancer

Background: The 21-gene Recurrence Score (RS) assay is prognostic among women with early-stage estrogen receptor (ER) positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative breast cancer (BC) and is used to select patients for chemotherapy (CT). Young women (age <40) have represented a minority in studies evaluating gene expression assays, including TAILORx, and additional data in young women are needed.

Methods: In the Young Women's Breast Cancer Study, a prospective cohort study of women diagnosed with BC at age <40 enrolling between 2006-2016 (N=1302), we identified those with stage I-III ER+/HER2- BC. Disease and treatment information were obtained through serial surveys and medical record review. The RS was performed on banked specimens for those not tested clinically. Distant recurrence free interval (DRFI), defined as distant recurrence or BC specific death, by risk group was assessed using Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier survival estimates. Outcomes by receipt of CT were explored in the RS 11-25 group, and due to small number of events, reported descriptively.

Results: Among eligible women (N=577), 189 (33%) had undergone RS testing and 320 (56%) had banked specimens sufficient for testing. Median follow-up was 6 years. Median age at diagnosis was 37, most had N0 BC (300/509, 59%), and the majority had RS 11-25 (306/509, 60%). RS result was significantly associated with DRFI in N0 BC, with hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI) of 0.29 (0.07,1.30) and 0.21 (0.09,0.50) for RS<11 and RS 11-25, respectively, relative to RS>26 (and trended towards significance in N1 BC). Results were similar using conventional RS groups. Among women with N0 BC and RS 11-25, 44% received CT, with two events in the 86 receiving CT (2.3%) and 6 events in the 109 without CT (5.5%); 5/8 (63%) occurred in those with RS 20-25.

Table 1 N0N1Total Cohort N%N%N% 3005916332509100Median Age37.137.537.2Tumor Stage      T120869694229358T28227784817635T3103159357T4001151Grade      I4716855711II16555794926652III8829754618536Not assessed  1 1 PR status by IHC      Negative (<1%)2071710398Positive (>=1%)280931469047092Chemotherapy      No1414712715430Yes159531519335570Ovarian Suppression      No263881499145289Yes37121495711TAILORx RS Groups      RS <1133111495411RS 11-2519565885430660RS >=267224613714929Conventional RS Groups      RS <1812742543319939RS 18-3012542694221142RS >=31481640259919

Table 2 6-year freedom from distant recurrence or breast cancer deathDRFI HR (95% CI) N0N1N0N1TAILORx RS Groups    RS <1194.4%92.3%0.29 (0.07,1.30)0.21 (0.03,1.61)RS 11-2596.9%85.2%0.21 (0.09, 0.50)0.55 (0.27,1.12)RS >=2685.1%71.3%RefRefConventional RS Groups    RS <1897.5%85.9%0.19 (0.06,0.59)0.31 (0.13,0.74)RS 18-3093.1%87.3%0.39 (0.16,1.00)0.32 (0.14,0.73)RS >=3186.4%62.8%RefRef

Conclusions: The RS is prognostic among young women with node-negative and node-positive BC, and is a valuable tool for risk stratification. Disease outcomes among young women with N0 disease and RS 11-25, a minority of whom received CT, are very good. Evaluation of the effect of ovarian suppression/CT-induced amenorrhea by RS/treatment strata is ongoing.

Citation Format: Poorvu PD, Gelber SI, Rosenberg SM, Ruddy KJ, Tamimi RM, Collins LC, Peppercorn J, Schapira L, Borges VF, Come SE, Warner E, Jakubowski DM, Russell C, Winer EP, Partridge AH. Prognostic impact of the 21-gene recurrence score assay among young women with node-negative and node-positive ER+/HER2- breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-08-07.

Abstract P3-08-12: Prognostic relevance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in young women with breast cancer (BC)

Background: Many studies suggest that a high NLR prior to systemic treatment is an adverse prognostic marker for BC but its role in women ≤ age 40 in general, and in those with pregnancy associated BC (PABC) in particular is unknown. We investigated whether the NLR is independently prognostic for recurrence-free survival (RFS) in a prospective database of young BC patients.

Methods: A prospective database of women ≤40 years of age diagnosed with BC from 02-2008 to 01-2015 was analyzed. Data regarding age, stage at diagnosis, pathology, treatment and clinical outcomes were available; the NLR was abstracted from the patients' medical record retrospectively with all values obtained post-diagnosis and prior to systemic therapy. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate time-to-event outcomes, with a primary outcome of RFS. Insufficient events had occurred to analyze overall survival. Univariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate factors that were potentially prognostic for RFS; a subsequent multivariable Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for nodal involvement, PABC status and tumor size. All tests were two-sided and statistical significance was defined as a p-value ≤0.05.

Results: Of 233 women in the database, 208 had a NLR and outcomes available for analysis. The mean age of patients was 35.1 and 24% (n=66/233) had PABC (BC diagnosed during pregnancy or ≤ 24 months postpartum); the median size of their tumors was 2.8 cm (range 0.1 cm – 19.0 cm) and 48% (n=102/211) were node positive. The majority of women had hormone receptor positive (92%; n=206/223) and HER2 negative 75% (n=160/212) disease, 50% (n=112/223) were treated with breast conserving surgery, 61% (n=142/233) received adjuvant radiotherapy and 83% (n=184/223) received adjuvant chemotherapy. With a median follow-up of 41 months, 16 patients (7%) experienced a local recurrence and 25 (11%) had distant recurrent disease. A higher NLR was prognostic for an adverse RFS in both uni- and multi-variable models (Table). The neutrophil count, individually, was also prognostic for adverse RFS but the lymphocyte count was not. The findings for patients with PABC and non-PABC were similar (interaction tests >0.05).

Prognostic association between NLR and RFSVariableNumber of patients (total N=223)Univariable HR (95% CI)P valueMultivariable HR (95% CI)P valueSize ( /cm)1981.1 (0.9 - 1.2)0.261.0 (0.5 - 1.9)0.99Node positive (yes vs no)2042.1 (0.9 - 4.8)0.0912.6 (1.0 - 6.7)0.050PABC (yes vs no)2232.2 (1.0 - 4.8)0.0481.8 (0.8 - 4.3)0.17Log[NLR] ( /unit)2082.6 (1.3 - 5.0)0.0062.5 (1.2 - 5.0)0.006Log[neutrophils] ( /unit)2082.9 (1.2 - 7.3)0.023--Log[lymphocytes] ( /unit)2080.54 (0.16 - 1.8)0.31--

Conclusions: A higher NLR is prognostic for adverse RFS in our cohort of women ≤40 years of age with BC, including those with PABC. In our study, a higher neutrophil count drives the prognostic effects of NLR, suggesting an inflammatory state. If our results are confirmed in larger data sets, these findings may warrant the investigation of anti-inflammatory agents in the treatment of young women with BC. As BC in this age group has a worse prognosis than BC in older women, the potential benefit of anti-inflammatory agents may be easier to observe in this population.

Citation Format: Jerzak KJ, Zhu S, Nofech-Mozes S, Pond G, Warner E. Prognostic relevance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in young women with breast cancer (BC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-08-12.

Ovarian function after chemotherapy in young breast cancer survivors

Background

As cure rates for breast cancer improve, there is increasing evidence that late effects of treatment-and impaired fertility in particular-are emerging as important concerns among young breast cancer survivors. Older reports have evaluated the occurrence of amenorrhea after treatment, but few data have been reported about the incidence of biochemical evidence for impaired ovarian function in patients who do not become overtly menopausal.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study evaluating anti-Müllerian hormone (amh) in premenopausal chemotherapy-treated breast cancer survivors and control patients. Random serum levels of amh and other relevant clinical data were collected for 100 premenopausal chemotherapy-treated breast cancer survivors and 76 control subjects. Subgroup analyses were performed for women with regular menstrual cycles at the time of amh testing.

Results

After adjustment for age, amh was significantly lower in the overall group of patients receiving chemotherapy (p = 0.002) and in the subgroup reporting normal cycles (p = 0.03). Cyclophosphamide produced a significant dose-dependent reduction in amh (p < 0.001); trastuzumab was associated with increased amh in survivors with normal cycles. Overall, serum amh in survivors was roughly equivalent to that measured in control patients 12 years older.

Conclusions

Young breast cancer survivors often experience significant impairment of ovarian function despite having normal menstrual cycles after treatment. Those results have important implications for patient counselling and the timing of possible referral to a fertility specialist.

User survey of Nanny Angel Network, a free childcare service for mothers with cancer

PURPOSE

The purpose of the present study was to determine user satisfaction with Nanny Angel Network (nan), a free childcare service for mothers undergoing cancer treatment.

METHODS

All 243 living mothers who had used the nan service were invited by telephone to participate in an online research survey; 197 mothers (81%) consented to participate. The survey, sent by e-mail, consisted of 39 items divided into these categories: demographics, supports, use, satisfaction, and general comments.

RESULTS

Of the 197 mothers who consented to receive the e-mailed survey, 104 (53%) completed it. More than 90% of the mothers were very satisfied with the help and support from their Nanny Angel. Many mothers mentioned that the Nanny Angel was most helpful during treatment and medical appointments, with 75% also mentioning that their Nanny Angel helped them to adhere to their scheduled medical appointments. However, 64% felt that they had not received enough visits from their Nanny Angel.

CONCLUSIONS

Satisfaction with the nan childcare provider was high, but mothers wished the service had been available to them more often. Our study highlights the importance of providing childcare to mothers with inadequate support systems, so as to allow for greater adherence to treatment and medical appointments, and for more time to recover.

When the patient is also a carer

When I first went into practice, my preferred referral was a patient under age 50 with a potentially curable malignancy [...]

Abstract P3-02-06: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) surveillance for patients with dense breasts and a previous breast cancer (BC) and/or high risk lesion

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The benefits of breast MRI for screening women at high risk of developing BC is established, but its role in women with a personal history of BC or dense breasts is unknown. We sought to estimate the performance of annual surveillance MRI added to mammography in women at moderately increased BC risk due to a personal history of breast cancer and/or a high-risk breast lesion and dense breasts.

METHOD AND MATERIALS

We performed a retrospective chart review of the clinical, radiological, and pathological parameters of women who received annual, concurrent surveillance breast MRI and mammography between 04/2013 and 12/2015. We included women who met all of the following criteria: age&lt;69; prior diagnosis of high-risk lesion (ADH, ALH, LCIS), DCIS, or invasive BC; heterogeneously (50-75%) or extremely dense (&gt;75%) breasts; and did not qualify for our provincial MRI screening program for high risk women (calculated lifetime BC risk ≥ 25%). Results of each scan were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi squared for comparisons between subgroups.

RESULTS

A total of 199 patients (267 MRI exams) were included in this study. The mean age at initial diagnosis was 45 years and at subsequent diagnosis of DCIS or invasive cancer was 53 years. Mean time to new diagnosis was 86 months (range 14-202). All 15 cancers diagnosed during the study period were MRI detected: 11 invasive stage I (66% IDC, 7% ILC) and 4 DCIS (27%). Of these 15, all but 1 were mammographically occult. Five (33%) were found in the breast ipsilateral to the original lesion. The cancer detection rate was 6% (12/199) on the first screening round and 4.7% (3/64) on the second screening round. Specificity and positive predictive value respectively for MRI exams increased from 77% and 22% on the first screening round to 88% and 30% on the second round. Of women who developed BC, 57% had a history of breast or ovarian cancer in a first degree relative. None of the 72 women who were on hormonal therapy at the time of surveillance imaging had a new cancer detected compared to 11% (14/125) of those who were not on hormonal therapy (p=0.0025).

CONCLUSIONS

The incremental early-stage BC detection rate and specificity of MRI in this population are comparable to what is observed in screening women at high risk. The addition of annual MRI to mammography should be considered for surveillance of women with a personal history of BC / premalignant lesion and heterogeneous / extremely dense breasts, particularly if they have a family history of BC and are not on hormonal therapy.

Citation Format: Nadler M, Al Attar H, Curpen B, Martel AL, Balasingham S, Zhang L, Eisen A, Warner E. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) surveillance for patients with dense breasts and a previous breast cancer (BC) and/or high risk lesion [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-02-06.

Abstract PD6-05: A prospective evaluation of clinical outcomes in women with pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC)

Background:

Many studies suggest that women with PABC- breast cancer (BC) diagnosed during pregnancy or within 12 months post partum- have adverse outcomes compared to age matched women whose BC is not associated with pregnancy (non-PABC). However, it is unclear whether this is due to diagnostic delay alone or biological differences. Hence, we investigated whether PABC is independently prognostic for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in a prospective database of young BC patients.

Methods:

A prospective database of women ≤40 years of age diagnosed with BC between February 2008 and January 2015 was analyzed. Data regarding, stage at diagnosis, pathology, treatment, and clinical outcomes were available. Statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics and administered therapies in women with and without PABC were evaluated using the chi-square or Fisher's Exact tests. Kaplan-Meier curves for DFS and OS in the PABC and non-PABC cohorts were compared using the log-rank test. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for age, nodal involvement and tumor size.

Results:

Of 224 women in the database who provided consent for research, 32 (12%) had PABC. Mean age of the PABC and non-PABC patients respectively was 34 (range 27 to 39) and 37 (range 21 to 40) and the median follow-up was 40 months in both groups. PABC was more likely to be locally advanced at diagnosis (44% vs. 22%, p&lt;0.01) and less likely to be hormone receptor positive (75% versus 85%; p &lt;0.01). There was no significant difference in age at diagnosis, tumor grade, lymphovascular invasion, HER2 expression or administered treatments between the two groups. Among the 166 women with early stage BC (not locally advanced), PABC was associated with positive lymph node status in a univariate model [OR 3.2 (95%CI 1.2-8.4), p=0.02] but just missed significance in a multivariate analysis that adjusted for age and tumor size (p=0.06).

Eight patients (22%) in the PABC group and 19 (10%) in the non-PABC group experienced local or distant disease recurrence; 3 patients (8%) in the PABC group and 11 (6%) in the non-PABC group died. The 3-year DFS in the PABC and non-PABC cohorts was 79% vs. 90% (p=0.22) and the 3-year OS was 97% in both groups.

Conclusion:

Diagnostic delay could account for the higher rate of locally advanced disease in the PABC group. However, the lower hormone receptor expression and strong trend toward greater lymph node involvement independent of size suggest that women with PABC may have intrinsically worse disease biology. Event rates may still be too low to detect a statistically significant difference in recurrence risk. Further research is necessary to identify unique molecular features of PABC that may be amenable to targeting.

Citation Format: Jerzak KJ, Zhu S, Li N, Mandel R, Warner E. A prospective evaluation of clinical outcomes in women with pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD6-05.

Abstract P4-15-01: Cost-effectiveness of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis for BRCA mutation carriers

Introduction: Management of BRCA mutation carriers is very expensive due to preventive surgeries and/or screening tests, as well as greater likelihood of cancer treatment. The related cancer burden and costs continue from generation to generation. One relatively new option for male or female BRCA mutation carriers, who wish to have children, is pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) of in vitro fertilized embryos. PGD eliminates the mutation from the descendants of these carriers. The purpose of this study was to model the cost-effectiveness of PGD.

Methods: We developed a Markov Model using TreeAge Pro 2016 and compared incidence of cancers, cancers-related death, costs, quality adjusted life-years (QALY), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) in the 2nd generation associated with conventional management of BRCA mutation carriers vs. PGD using a U.S. third-party payer's perspective with a lifetime horizon at a discount rate of 3% per year. In the model, health states were implemented to reflect the natural history of breast and ovarian cancer for women, and prostate cancer (and breast cancer in BRCA2 mutation carriers) for men. Model data were obtained from published literature. Costs were determined from published data and insurance payment schedules.

Results: Our preliminary results show that for BRCA1 mutation carriers, the PGD with IVF strategy is associated with an increase of 0.29 QALYs and costs an additional $292.68 per person, translating to an ICER of $1,014.25/QALY when compared with “No PGD”, making it highly cost-effective. For BRCA2 mutation carriers, the PGD with IVF strategy is associated with an increase of 0.17 QALYs and costs an additional $4,916.88 per person, translating to an ICER of $28,436.10/QALY when compared with “No PGD”, making it cost-effective.

Table 1StrategyCost ($)Incr Cost ($)Eff (QALY)Incr Eff (QALY)Incr C/E ($/QALY) BRCA 1     No PGD323,347.22 28.41  PGD323,639.89292.6828.70.291,014.25BRCA 2     No PGD318,723.02 28.52  PGD323,639.894,916.8828.70.1728,436.10

Conclusion: PGD for both BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers reduces cancer burden, increases QALYs and, is very cost-effective in the 2nd generation cohort, making this an attractive option from the perspectives of patients and public payers. Our estimates are conservative because the cost-effectiveness of PGD will likely improve further if subsequent generations are included in the model, given the expected further reduction in cancer burden and associated cost-savings in subsequent generations.

Citation Format: Lipton JH, Wong WWL, Warner E, Greenblatt EM, Lee EK, Chan KKW. Cost-effectiveness of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis for BRCA mutation carriers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-15-01.