Everolimus plus exemestane in hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer: incidence and time course of adverse events in the phase IIIb BALLET population

A multicentre, randomised, double-blind, phase II study to evaluate the tolerability of an induction dose escalation of everolimus in patients with metastatic breast cancer (DESIREE)

BACKGROUND

Stomatitis is one of the main reasons to discontinue everolimus in patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (mBC). To decrease stomatitis and subsequently early treatment discontinuations or dose reductions, the DESIREE trial investigated the use of a stepwise dose-escalation schedule of everolimus (EVE esc).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

DESIREE is a phase II, multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in patients with HR+/HER2- mBC and progression/relapse after nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor treatment. Patients were randomised to EVE esc (2.5 mg/day, week 1; 5 mg/day, week 2; 7.5 mg/day, week 3; 10 mg/day, weeks 4-24) or everolimus 10 mg/day (EVE 10mg) for 24 weeks plus exemestane. The primary endpoint was the incidence of stomatitis episodes grade ≥2 within 12 weeks of treatment. The secondary endpoints included toxicity, relative total dose intensity (RTDI) and quality of life (QoL).

RESULTS

A total of 160 patients were randomised and 156 started treatment (EVE esc: 80; EVE 10mg: 76). The median age of patients was 64 years (range 33-85), 56.3% patients in the EVE esc arm versus 42.1% in the EVE 10mg arm had liver metastasis (P = 0.081) and 62.5% versus 51.3% received over one metastatic therapy line (P = 0.196). Within 12 weeks, the incidence of stomatitis episodes grade ≥2 was significantly lower in the EVE esc arm compared with the EVE 10mg arm (28.8% versus 46.1%; odds ratio 0.47, 95% confidence interval 0.24-0.92; P = 0.026). Toxicity was in line with the known safety profile without new safety concerns. The median RTDI was 91.1% in the EVE esc arm versus 80.0% in the EVE 10mg arm (P = 0.329). Discontinuation rate in the first 3 weeks was 6.3% versus 15.8%, respectively (P = 0.073). QoL was comparable between the two treatment arms.

CONCLUSIONS

A dose-escalation schema of everolimus over 3 weeks can be successfully used to reduce the incidence of high-grade stomatitis in the first 12 weeks of treatment in patients with HR+/HER2- mBC.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.govNCT02387099; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02387099.

Novel Effects of Statins on Cancer via Autophagy

Cancer is one of the main causes of death globally. Most of the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer are marked by complex aberrations that activate the critical cell-signaling pathways that play a pivotal role in cell metabolism, tumor development, cytoskeletal reorganization, and metastasis. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase-B/mammalian target of the rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) pathway is one of the main signaling pathways involved in carcinogenesis and metastasis. Autophagy, a cellular pathway that delivers cytoplasmic components to lysosomes for degradation, plays a dual role in cancer, as either a tumor promoter or a tumor suppressor, depending on the stage of the carcinogenesis. Statins are the group of drugs of choice to lower the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood. Experimental and clinical data suggest the potential of statins in the treatment of cancer. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the molecular mechanisms through which statins inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells in different types of cancer. The anticancer properties of statins have been shown to result in the suppression of tumor growth, the induction of apoptosis, and autophagy. This literature review shows the dual role of the autophagic process in cancer and the latest scientific evidence related to the inducing effect exerted by statins on autophagy, which could explain their anticancer potential.