Optimal targeting of PI3K-AKT and mTOR in advanced oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer

The growing availability of targeted therapies for patients with advanced oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer has improved survival, but there remains much to learn about the optimal management of these patients. The PI3K-AKT and mTOR pathways are among the most commonly activated pathways in breast cancer, whose crucial role in the pathogenesis of this tumour type has spurred major efforts to target this pathway at specific kinase hubs. Approvals for oestrogen receptor-positive advanced breast cancer include the PI3K inhibitor alpelisib for PIK3CA-mutated tumours, the AKT inhibitor capivasertib for tumours with alterations in PIK3CA, AKT1, or PTEN, and the mTOR inhibitor everolimus, which is used irrespective of mutation status. The availability of different inhibitors leaves physicians with a potentially challenging decision over which of these therapies should be used for individual patients and when. In this Review, we present a comprehensive summary of our current understanding of the pathways and the three inhibitors and discuss strategies for the optimal sequencing of therapies in the clinic, particularly after progression on a CDK4/6 inhibitor.

First-Line Ipatasertib, Atezolizumab, and Taxane Triplet for Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Clinical and Biomarker Results

PURPOSE

To evaluate a triplet regimen combining immune checkpoint blockade, AKT pathway inhibition, and (nab-) paclitaxel as first-line therapy for locally advanced/metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The single-arm CO40151 phase Ib study (NCT03800836), the single-arm signal-seeking cohort of IPATunity130 (NCT03337724), and the randomized phase III IPATunity170 trial (NCT04177108) enrolled patients with previously untreated mTNBC. Triplet therapy comprised intravenous atezolizumab 840 mg (days 1 and 15), oral ipatasertib 400 mg/day (days 1-21), and intravenous paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 (or nab-paclitaxel 100 mg/m2; days 1, 8, and 15) every 28 days. Exploratory translational research aimed to elucidate mechanisms and molecular markers of sensitivity and resistance.

RESULTS

Among 317 patients treated with the triplet, efficacy ranged across studies as follows: median progression-free survival (PFS) 5.4 to 7.4 months, objective response rate 44% to 63%, median duration of response 5.6 to 11.1 months, and median overall survival 15.7 to 28.3 months. The safety profile was consistent with the known toxicities of each agent. Grade ≥3 adverse events were more frequent with the triplet than with doublets or single-agent paclitaxel. Patients with PFS >10 months were characterized by NF1, CCND3, and PIK3CA alterations and increased immune pathway activity. PFS <5 months was associated with CDKN2A/CDKN2B/MTAP alterations and lower predicted phosphorylated AKT-S473 levels.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with mTNBC receiving an ipatasertib/atezolizumab/taxane triplet regimen, molecular characteristics may identify those with particularly favorable or unfavorable outcomes, potentially guiding future research efforts.

Phase Ia/b Study of Giredestrant ± Palbociclib and ± Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Agonists in Estrogen Receptor-Positive, HER2-Negative, Locally Advanced/Metastatic Breast Cancer

PURPOSE

Giredestrant is an investigational next-generation, oral, selective estrogen receptor antagonist and degrader for the treatment of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. We present the primary analysis results of the phase Ia/b GO39932 study (NCT03332797).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with ER+, HER2-negative locally advanced/metastatic breast cancer previously treated with endocrine therapy received single-agent giredestrant (10, 30, 90, or 250 mg), or giredestrant (100 mg) ± palbociclib 125 mg ± luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist. Detailed cardiovascular assessment was conducted with giredestrant 100 mg. Endpoints included safety (primary), pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and efficacy.

RESULTS

As of January 28, 2021, with 175 patients enrolled, no dose-limiting toxicity was observed, and the MTD was not reached. Adverse events (AE) related to giredestrant occurred in 64.9% and 59.4% of patients in the single-agent ± LHRH agonist and giredestrant + palbociclib ± LHRH agonist cohorts, respectively (giredestrant-only-related grade 3/4 AEs were reported in 4.5% of patients across the single-agent cohorts and 3.1% of those with giredestrant + palbociclib). Dose-dependent asymptomatic bradycardia was observed, but no clinically significant changes in cardiac-related outcomes: heart rate, blood pressure, or exercise duration. Clinical benefit was observed in all cohorts (48.6% of patients in the single-agent cohort and 81.3% in the giredestrant + palbociclib ± LHRH agonist cohort), with no clear dose relationship, including in patients with ESR1-mutated tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

Giredestrant was well tolerated and clinically active in patients who progressed on prior endocrine therapy. Results warrant further evaluation of giredestrant in randomized trials in early- and late-stage ER+ breast cancer.

Comparison of Circulating Tumor DNA Assays for Molecular Residual Disease Detection in Early-Stage Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

PURPOSE

Detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients who have completed treatment for early-stage breast cancer is associated with a high risk of relapse, yet the optimal assay for ctDNA detection is unknown.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

The cTRAK-TN clinical trial prospectively used tumor-informed digital PCR (dPCR) assays for ctDNA molecular residual disease (MRD) detection in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer. We compared tumor-informed dPCR assays with tumor-informed personalized multimutation sequencing assays in 141 patients from cTRAK-TN.

RESULTS

MRD was first detected by personalized sequencing in 47.9% of patients, 0% first detected by dPCR, and 52.1% with both assays simultaneously (P < 0.001; Fisher exact test). The median lead time from ctDNA detection to relapse was 6.1 months with personalized sequencing and 3.9 months with dPCR (P = 0.004, mixed-effects Cox model). Detection of MRD at the first time point was associated with a shorter time to relapse compared with detection at subsequent time points (median lead time 4.2 vs. 7.1 months; P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Personalized multimutation sequencing assays have potential clinically important improvements in clinical outcome in the early detection of MRD.

ESR1 F404 Mutations and Acquired Resistance to Fulvestrant in ESR1-Mutant Breast Cancer

Fulvestrant is used to treat patients with hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer, but acquired resistance is poorly understood. PlasmaMATCH Cohort A (NCT03182634) investigated the activity of fulvestrant in patients with activating ESR1 mutations in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). Baseline ESR1 mutations Y537S are associated with poor outcomes and Y537C with good outcomes. Sequencing of baseline and EOT ctDNA samples (n = 69) revealed 3/69 (4%) patients acquired novel ESR1 F404 mutations (F404L, F404I, and F404V), in cis with activating mutations. In silico modeling revealed that ESR1 F404 contributes to fulvestrant binding to estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα) through a pi-stacking bond, with mutations disrupting this bond. In vitro analysis demonstrated that single F404L, E380Q, and D538G models were less sensitive to fulvestrant, whereas compound mutations D538G + F404L and E380Q + F404L were resistant. Several oral ERα degraders were active against compound mutant models. We have identified a resistance mechanism specific to fulvestrant that can be targeted by treatments in clinical development.

SIGNIFICANCE

Novel F404 ESR1 mutations may be acquired to cause overt resistance to fulvestrant when combined with preexisting activating ESR1 mutations. Novel combinations of mutations in the ER ligand binding domain may cause drug-specific resistance, emphasizing the potential of similar drug-specific mutations to impact the efficacy of oral ER degraders in development. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 201.

The CDK4/6 inhibitor revolution - a game-changing era for breast cancer treatment

Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibition in combination with endocrine therapy is the standard-of-care treatment for patients with advanced-stage hormone receptor-positive, HER2 non-amplified (HR+HER2-) breast cancer. These agents can also be administered as adjuvant therapy to patients with higher-risk early stage disease. Nonetheless, the clinical success of these agents has created several challenges, such as how to address acquired resistance, identifying which patients are most likely to benefit from therapy prior to treatment, and understanding the optimal timing of administration and sequencing of these agents. In this Review, we describe the rationale for targeting CDK4/6 in patients with breast cancer, including a summary of updated clinical evidence and how this should inform clinical practice. We also discuss ongoing research efforts that are attempting to address the various challenges created by the widespread implementation of these agents.

Genomic profiling and pre-clinical modelling of breast cancer leptomeningeal metastasis reveals acquisition of a lobular-like phenotype

Breast cancer leptomeningeal metastasis (BCLM), where tumour cells grow along the lining of the brain and spinal cord, is a devastating development for patients. Investigating this metastatic site is hampered by difficulty in accessing tumour material. Here, we utilise cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and CSF disseminated tumour cells (DTCs) to explore the clonal evolution of BCLM and heterogeneity between leptomeningeal and extracranial metastatic sites. Somatic alterations with potential therapeutic actionability were detected in 81% (17/21) of BCLM cases, with 19% detectable in CSF cfDNA only. BCLM was enriched in genomic aberrations in adherens junction and cytoskeletal genes, revealing a lobular-like breast cancer phenotype. CSF DTCs were cultured in 3D to establish BCLM patient-derived organoids, and used for the successful generation of BCLM in vivo models. These data reveal that BCLM possess a unique genomic aberration profile and highlight potential cellular dependencies in this hard-to-treat form of metastatic disease.

Molecular Residual Disease in Breast Cancer: Detection and Therapeutic Interception

Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related death in women despite screening and therapeutic advances. Early detection allows for resection of local disease; however, patients can develop metastatic recurrences years after curative treatment. There is no reliable blood-based monitoring after curative therapy, and radiographic evaluation for metastatic disease is performed only in response to symptoms. Advances in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assays have allowed for a potential option for blood-based monitoring. The detection of ctDNA in the absence of overt metastasis or recurrent disease indicates molecular evidence of cancer, defined as molecular residual disease (MRD). Multiple studies have shown that MRD detection is strongly associated with disease recurrence, with a lead time prior to clinical evidence of recurrence of many months. Importantly, it is still unclear whether treatment changes in response to ctDNA detection will improve outcomes. There are currently ongoing trials evaluating the efficacy of therapy escalation in the setting of MRD, and these studies are being conducted in all major breast cancer subtypes. Additional therapies under study include CDK4/6 inhibitors, PARP inhibitors, HER2-targeted therapies, and immunotherapy. This review will summarize the underlying scientific principles of various MRD assays, their known prognostic roles in early breast cancer, and the ongoing clinical trials assessing the efficacy of therapy escalation in the setting of MRD.

Baseline Mutations and ctDNA Dynamics as Prognostic and Predictive Factors in ER-Positive/HER2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients

PURPOSE

Prognostic and predictive biomarkers to cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 inhibitors are lacking. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can be used to profile these patients and dynamic changes in ctDNA could be an early predictor of treatment efficacy. Here, we conducted plasma ctDNA profiling in patients from the PEARL trial comparing palbociclib+fulvestrant versus capecitabine to investigate associations between baseline genomic landscape and on-treatment ctDNA dynamics with treatment efficacy.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Correlative blood samples were collected at baseline [cycle 1-day 1 (C1D1)] and prior to treatment [cycle 1-day 15 (C1D15)]. Plasma ctDNA was sequenced with a custom error-corrected capture panel, with both univariate and multivariate Cox models used for treatment efficacy associations. A prespecified methodology measuring ctDNA changes in clonal mutations between C1D1 and C1D15 was used for the on-treatment ctDNA dynamic model.

RESULTS

201 patients were profiled at baseline, with ctDNA detection associated with worse progression-free survival (PFS)/overall survival (OS). Detectable TP53 mutation showed worse PFS and OS in both treatment arms, even after restricting population to baseline ctDNA detection. ESR1 mutations were associated with worse OS overall, which was lost when restricting population to baseline ctDNA detection. PIK3CA mutations confer worse OS only to patients on the palbociclib+fulvestrant treatment arm. ctDNA dynamics analysis (n = 120) showed higher ctDNA suppression in the capecitabine arm. Patients without ctDNA suppression showed worse PFS in both treatment arms.

CONCLUSIONS

We show impaired survival irrespective of endocrine or chemotherapy-based treatments for patients with hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer harboring plasma TP53 mutations. Early ctDNA suppression may provide treatment efficacy predictions. Further validation to fully demonstrate clinical utility of ctDNA dynamics is warranted.

Genomic analysis of advanced breast cancer tumors from talazoparib-treated gBRCA1/2mut carriers in the ABRAZO study

These analyses explore the impact of homologous recombination repair gene mutations, including BRCA1/2 mutations and homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), on the efficacy of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor talazoparib in the open-label, two-cohort, Phase 2 ABRAZO trial in germline BRCA1/2-mutation carriers. In the evaluable intent-to-treat population (N = 60), 58 (97%) patients harbor ≥1 BRCA1/2 mutation(s) in tumor sequencing, with 95% (53/56) concordance between germline and tumor mutations, and 85% (40/47) of evaluable patients have BRCA locus loss of heterozygosity indicating HRD. The most prevalent non-BRCA tumor mutations are TP53 in patients with BRCA1 mutations and PIK3CA in patients with BRCA2 mutations. BRCA1- or BRCA2-mutated tumors show comparable clinical benefit within cohorts. While low patient numbers preclude correlations between HRD and efficacy, germline BRCA1/2 mutation detection from tumor-only sequencing shows high sensitivity and non-BRCA genetic/genomic events do not appear to influence talazoparib sensitivity in the ABRAZO trial.ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02034916.

Liquid Biopsies in Breast Milk for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer

SUMMARY

Cell-free tumor DNA has previously been detected in nonblood sources, including urine, saliva, stool, cerebrospinal fluid, and pleural fluid. In this issue, Saura and colleagues present a novel proof-of-concept study demonstrating that detection of tumor DNA in breast milk is feasible and may be a potential future strategy to screen for postpartum breast cancer. See related article by Saura et al., p. 2180 (14).

Managing a Long and Winding Road: Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer

We review key topics in the management of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative breast cancer. The single biggest challenge in management of this disease is late relapse, and we review new methods for identifying which patients are at risk of late relapse and potential therapeutic approaches in clinical trials. CDK4/6 inhibitors have become a standard treatment option for high-risk patients in both the adjuvant setting and the first-line metastatic setting, and we review data on optimal treatment after progression on CDK4/6 inhibitors. Targeting the estrogen receptor remains the single most effective way of targeting the cancer, and we review the developments in new oral selective ER degraders that are becoming a standard of care in cancers with ESR1 mutations and potential future directions.

Capivasertib in Hormone Receptor-Positive Advanced Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

AKT pathway activation is implicated in endocrine-therapy resistance. Data on the efficacy and safety of the AKT inhibitor capivasertib, as an addition to fulvestrant therapy, in patients with hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer are limited.

METHODS

In a phase 3, randomized, double-blind trial, we enrolled eligible pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal women and men with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative advanced breast cancer who had had a relapse or disease progression during or after treatment with an aromatase inhibitor, with or without previous cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor therapy. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive capivasertib plus fulvestrant or placebo plus fulvestrant. The dual primary end point was investigator-assessed progression-free survival assessed both in the overall population and among patients with AKT pathway-altered (PIK3CA, AKT1, or PTEN) tumors. Safety was assessed.

RESULTS

Overall, 708 patients underwent randomization; 289 patients (40.8%) had AKT pathway alterations, and 489 (69.1%) had received a CDK4/6 inhibitor previously for advanced breast cancer. In the overall population, the median progression-free survival was 7.2 months in the capivasertib-fulvestrant group, as compared with 3.6 months in the placebo-fulvestrant group (hazard ratio for progression or death, 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.51 to 0.71; P<0.001). In the AKT pathway-altered population, the median progression-free survival was 7.3 months in the capivasertib-fulvestrant group, as compared with 3.1 months in the placebo-fulvestrant group (hazard ratio, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.38 to 0.65; P<0.001). The most frequent adverse events of grade 3 or higher in patients receiving capivasertib-fulvestrant were rash (in 12.1% of patients, vs. in 0.3% of those receiving placebo-fulvestrant) and diarrhea (in 9.3% vs. 0.3%). Adverse events leading to discontinuation were reported in 13.0% of the patients receiving capivasertib and in 2.3% of those receiving placebo.

CONCLUSIONS

Capivasertib-fulvestrant therapy resulted in significantly longer progression-free survival than treatment with fulvestrant alone among patients with hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer whose disease had progressed during or after previous aromatase inhibitor therapy with or without a CDK4/6 inhibitor. (Funded by AstraZeneca and the National Cancer Institute; CAPItello-291 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04305496.).

Results of the c-TRAK TN trial: a clinical trial utilising ctDNA mutation tracking to detect molecular residual disease and trigger intervention in patients with moderate- and high-risk early-stage triple-negative breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Post-treatment detection of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients predicts high risk of relapse. c-TRAK TN assessed the utility of prospective ctDNA surveillance in TNBC and the activity of pembrolizumab in patients with ctDNA detected [ctDNA positive (ctDNA+)].

PATIENTS AND METHODS

c-TRAK TN, a multicentre phase II trial, with integrated prospective ctDNA surveillance by digital PCR, enrolled patients with early-stage TNBC and residual disease following neoadjuvant chemotherapy, or stage II/III with adjuvant chemotherapy. ctDNA surveillance comprised three-monthly blood sampling to 12 months (18 months if samples were missed due to coronavirus disease), and ctDNA+ patients were randomised 2 : 1 to intervention : observation. ctDNA results were blinded unless patients were allocated to intervention, when staging scans were done and those free of recurrence were offered pembrolizumab. A protocol amendment (16 September 2020) closed the observation group; all subsequent ctDNA+ patients were allocated to intervention. Co-primary endpoints were (i) ctDNA detection rate and (ii) sustained ctDNA clearance rate on pembrolizumab (NCT03145961).

RESULTS

Two hundred and eight patients registered between 30 January 2018 and 06 December 2019, 185 had tumour sequenced, 171 (92.4%) had trackable mutations, and 161 entered ctDNA surveillance. Rate of ctDNA detection by 12 months was 27.3% (44/161, 95% confidence interval 20.6% to 34.9%). Seven patients relapsed without prior ctDNA detection. Forty-five patients entered the therapeutic component (intervention n = 31; observation n = 14; one observation patient was re-allocated to intervention following protocol amendment). Of patients allocated to intervention, 72% (23/32) had metastases on staging at the time of ctDNA+, and 4 patients declined pembrolizumab. Of the five patients who commenced pembrolizumab, none achieved sustained ctDNA clearance.

CONCLUSIONS

c-TRAK TN is the first prospective study to assess whether ctDNA assays have clinical utility in guiding therapy in TNBC. Patients had a high rate of metastatic disease on ctDNA detection. Findings have implications for future trial design, emphasising the importance of commencing ctDNA testing early, with more sensitive and/or frequent ctDNA testing regimes.

High p16 expression and heterozygous RB1 loss are biomarkers for CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance in ER+ breast cancer

CDK4/6 inhibitors combined with endocrine therapy have demonstrated higher antitumor activity than endocrine therapy alone for the treatment of advanced estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Some of these tumors are de novo resistant to CDK4/6 inhibitors and others develop acquired resistance. Here, we show that p16 overexpression is associated with reduced antitumor activity of CDK4/6 inhibitors in patient-derived xenografts (n = 37) and estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cell lines, as well as reduced response of early and advanced breast cancer patients to CDK4/6 inhibitors (n = 89). We also identified heterozygous RB1 loss as biomarker of acquired resistance and poor clinical outcome. Combination of the CDK4/6 inhibitor ribociclib with the PI3K inhibitor alpelisib showed antitumor activity in estrogen receptor-positive non-basal-like breast cancer patient-derived xenografts, independently of PIK3CA, ESR1 or RB1 mutation, also in drug de-escalation experiments or omitting endocrine therapy. Our results offer insights into predicting primary/acquired resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors and post-progression therapeutic strategies.

Neratinib in advanced HER2-positive breast cancer: experience from the royal Marsden hospital

PURPOSE

To describe the tolerability and efficacy of neratinib as a monotherapy and in combination with capecitabine in advanced HER2-positive breast cancer in a real-world setting.

METHODS

Patients who received neratinib for advanced HER2-positive at the Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Trust between August 2016 and May 2020 were identified from electronic patient records and baseline characteristics, previous treatment and response to treatment were recorded. The primary endpoint of the study was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS) and safety.

RESULTS

Seventy-two patients were eligible for the analysis. Forty-five patients received neratinib in combination with capecitabine and 27 patients received monotherapy. After a median duration of follow-up of 38.5 months, the median PFS for all patients was 5.9 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 4.9-7.4 months) and median OS was 15.0 months (95% Cl 10.4-22.2 months). Amongst the 52.7% (38/72) patients with confirmed brain metastases at baseline, median PFS was 5.7 months (95% CI 2.9-7.4 months) and median OS was 12.5 months (95% CI 7.7-21.4 months). Despite anti-diarrhoeal prophylaxis, diarrhoea was the most frequent adverse event, reported in 64% of patients which was grade 3 in 10%. There were no grade 4 or 5 toxicities. Seven patients discontinued neratinib due to toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

Neratinib monotherapy or in combination with capecitabine is a useful treatment for patients with and without brain metastases. PFS and OS were found to be similar as previous trial data. Routine anti-diarrhoeal prophylaxis allows this combination to be safely delivered to patients in a real-world setting.

Overall Survival with Palbociclib and Fulvestrant in Women with HR+/HER2- ABC: Updated Exploratory Analyses of PALOMA-3, a Double-blind, Phase III Randomized Study

PURPOSE

To conduct an updated exploratory analysis of overall survival (OS) with a longer median follow-up of 73.3 months and evaluate the prognostic value of molecular analysis by circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC) were randomized 2:1 to receive palbociclib (125 mg orally/day; 3/1 week schedule) and fulvestrant (500 mg intramuscularly) or placebo and fulvestrant. This OS analysis was performed when 75% of enrolled patients died (393 events in 521 randomized patients). ctDNA analysis was performed among patients who provided consent.

RESULTS

At the data cutoff (August 17, 2020), 258 and 135 deaths occurred in the palbociclib and placebo groups, respectively. The median OS [95% confidence interval (CI)] was 34.8 months (28.8-39.9) in the palbociclib group and 28.0 months (23.5-33.8) in the placebo group (stratified hazard ratio, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.65-0.99). The 6-year OS rate (95% CI) was 19.1% (14.9-23.7) and 12.9% (8.0-19.1) in the palbociclib and placebo groups, respectively. Favorable OS with palbociclib plus fulvestrant compared with placebo plus fulvestrant was observed in most subgroups, particularly in patients with endocrine-sensitive disease, no prior chemotherapy for ABC and low circulating tumor fraction and regardless of ESR1, PIK3CA, or TP53 mutation status. No new safety signals were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinically meaningful improvement in OS associated with palbociclib plus fulvestrant was maintained with >6 years of follow-up in patients with HR+/HER2- ABC, supporting palbociclib plus fulvestrant as a standard of care in these patients.

Biomarkers for Systemic Therapy in Metastatic Breast Cancer: ASCO Guideline Update

PURPOSE

To update the ASCO biomarkers to guide systemic therapy for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) guideline.

METHODS

An Expert Panel conducted a systematic review to identify randomized clinical trials and prospective-retrospective studies from January 2015 to January 2022.

RESULTS

The search identified 19 studies informing the evidence base.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Candidates for a regimen with a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor and hormonal therapy should undergo testing for PIK3CA mutations using next-generation sequencing of tumor tissue or circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in plasma to determine eligibility for alpelisib plus fulvestrant. If no mutation is found in ctDNA, testing in tumor tissue, if available, should be used. Patients who are candidates for poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor therapy should undergo testing for germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 pathogenic or likely pathogenic mutations to determine eligibility for a PARP inhibitor. There is insufficient evidence for or against testing for a germline PALB2 pathogenic variant to determine eligibility for PARP inhibitor therapy in the metastatic setting. Candidates for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy should undergo testing for expression of programmed cell death ligand-1 in the tumor and immune cells to determine eligibility for treatment with pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy. Candidates for an immune checkpoint inhibitor should also undergo testing for deficient mismatch repair/microsatellite instability-high to determine eligibility for dostarlimab-gxly or pembrolizumab, as well as testing for tumor mutational burden. Clinicians may test for NTRK fusions to determine eligibility for TRK inhibitors. There are insufficient data to recommend routine testing of tumors for ESR1 mutations, for homologous recombination deficiency, or for TROP2 expression to guide MBC therapy selection. There are insufficient data to recommend routine use of ctDNA or circulating tumor cells to monitor response to therapy among patients with MBC.Additional information can be found at www.asco.org/breast-cancer-guidelines.

ESMO recommendations on the use of circulating tumour DNA assays for patients with cancer: a report from the ESMO Precision Medicine Working Group

Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) assays conducted on plasma are rapidly developing a strong evidence base for use in patients with cancer. The European Society for Medical Oncology convened an expert working group to review the analytical and clinical validity and utility of ctDNA assays. For patients with advanced cancer, validated and adequately sensitive ctDNA assays have utility in identifying actionable mutations to direct targeted therapy, and may be used in routine clinical practice, provided the limitations of the assays are taken into account. Tissue based testing remains the preferred test for many cancer patients, due to limitations of ctDNA assays detecting fusion events and copy number changes, although ctDNA assays may be routinely used when faster results will be clinically important, or when tissue biopsies are not possible or inappropriate. Reflex tumour testing should be considered following a non-informative ctDNA result, due to false negative results with ctDNA testing. In patients treated for early-stage cancers, detection of molecular residual disease (MRD) or molecular relapse (MR), has high evidence of clinical validity in anticipating future relapse in many cancers. MRD/MR detection cannot be recommended in routine clinical practice, as currently there is no evidence for clinical utility in directing treatment. Additional potential applications of ctDNA assays, under research development and not recommended for routine practice, include identifying patients not responding to therapy with early dynamic changes in ctDNA levels, monitoring therapy for the development of resistance mutations prior to clinical progression, and in screening asymptomatic people for cancer. Recommendation for reporting of results, future development of ctDNA assays, and future clinical research are made.

ESR1 F404 mutations and acquired resistance to fulvestrant in the plasmaMATCH study

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Background: The selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERD) fulvestrant is commonly used to treat patients with hormone receptor positive advanced breast cancer, although potential mechanisms of acquired resistance are poorly understood. plasmaMATCH cohort A (NCT03182634) investigated the activity of fulvestrant in patients with activating ESR1 mutations in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). Here we present analysis of baseline and end-of-treatment (EOT) ctDNA to identify potential resistance mutations to fulvestrant. Methods: Paired baseline and EOT plasma samples from patients enrolled into plasmaMATCH underwent ctDNA sequencing (Guardant360, Guardant Health) to identify acquired mutations. For F404 analysis, MCF-7 cells were transiently transfected with estrogen receptor expression constructs containing either wildtype ESR1 (WT), single ESR1 mutations (D538G, E380Q, F404L), or compound mutations (D538G_F404L, E380Q_F404L), alongside an estrogen response element (ERE)-luciferase reporter construct. Transfected cells were treated with or without fulvestrant and ERE-luciferase activity compared. Results: Of 84 patients enrolled in cohort A, 69 had paired baseline and EOT sequencing. Patients with baseline ESR1 Y537S had shorter progression free survival (PFS), and Y537C longer PFS, than those wild-type for each respective mutation (p = 0.03 and p = 0.04). Patients frequently acquired mutations at EOT (n = 35, 51%), including potentially targetable mutations in 25% (including 3 PTEN, 3 BRCA1/2, 2 PIK3CA, 2 HER2, 1 BRAF). Three (4%) patients acquired ESR1 p.F404 mutations (F404L, F404I, F404V), with 7 mutations in total. Of 26 patients with PFS of ≥16 weeks, 3 patients (12%) acquired ESR1 F404. In 800 patients screened for entry to plasmaMATCH, one harbored a F404 mutation (0.13%), with a prior history of fulvestrant. F404 mutations resided in cis with E380Q in 6/7 assessable mutations. In vitro structural modelling revealed that ESR1 p.F404 resides within the ESR1 ligand binding domain, and contributes to estrogen and fulvestrant binding through a pi-stacking bond between the aromatic ring of phenylalanine and estrogen/fulvestrant, with all F404 mutations disrupting this bond. Transient transfection demonstrated that single mutations D538G, E380Q, F404L and wild-type ESR1 were sensitive to fulvestrant (p < 0.0001, p = 0.0006, p = 0.04 and p = 0.0001), whereas compound mutations D538G_F404L and E380Q_F404L were resistant. Further investigation of relative sensitivity of the F404 mutant ESR1 to other anti-estrogens will be presented. Conclusions: We have identified a novel resistance mechanism to fulvestrant, with F404 mutations acquired in patients with pre-existing activating ESR1 mutations. F404 confers fulvestrant resistance through the loss of a pi-stacking bond and likely reduced fulvestrant binding affinity, identifying a new potential target to overcome endocrine therapy resistance.

Long-term safety of inavolisib (GDC-0077) in an ongoing phase 1/1b study evaluating monotherapy and in combination (combo) with palbociclib and/or endocrine therapy in patients (pts) with PIK3CA-mutated, hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (BC)

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Background: Dysregulating mutations in PIK3CA, encoding the PI3K p110α subunit, occur in ̃40% of HR+/HER2– BCs. Inavolisib is a PI3Kα-specific inhibitor that also promotes degradation of mutant p110α. It has demonstrated encouraging preliminary antitumor activity in pts with PIK3CA-mutated HR+ BC as a monotherapy, and in combo with other anticancer agents. Methods: We included pts from NCT03006172 on treatment ≥1 year with inavolisib alone (Arm A), or in combo with palbo + letrozole (letro) (B), letro (C), fulvestrant (fulv) (D), or palbo + fulv (E; + metformin in Arm F for pts with body mass index ≥30 and/or HbA1c ≥5.7%). Inavolisib was administered orally daily (PO QD) at 3, 6, 9, or 12 mg (3+3 dose-escalation design); letro at 2.5 mg PO QD; palbo at 125 mg PO QD for 21/28 days; and fulv at 500 mg intramuscularly every 4 weeks, in 28-day cycles until intolerable toxicity/disease progression. Safety was assessed by NCI-CTCAE v4. Results: 57 female pts were included (cutoff 07/26/21; N = 1, 18, 6, 12, 15, 5 in Arms A–F); median age: 57 years (range 33–80); median lines of prior therapy: 2 (1–7). All but 2 pts, both in Arm B (3 mg), were assigned the 9 mg inavolisib recommended phase 3 dose. Overall median treatment duration: 19 months (range 12–45); median inavolisib cumulative dose intensity, 95%. The most frequent treatment-related adverse events (AEs; in ≥20 pts/35%) were hyperglycemia (68%), stomatitis (68%; grouped terms), neutropenia (58%), diarrhea (51%), nausea (39%), alopecia (35%), and rash (35%; grouped terms). The most frequent treatment-related Grade (G) 3–4 AEs (≥2 pts/4%) were neutropenia (47%), hyperglycemia (16%), leukopenia (9%), thrombocytopenia (9%), lymphopenia (7%), weight decreased, and hypokalemia (4% each). G3–4 neutropenia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and lymphopenia were all reported in palbo arms. One G5 AE of pleural effusion was reported (disease progression-related). 39 pts (68%) had ≥1 AE resulting in study treatment modification (drug interruption/dose reduction/treatment withdrawal); 11 (19%) had an inavolisib dose reduction and 2 (4%) discontinued treatment due to an AE (1 related G2 diarrhea, 1 unrelated G3 cerebrovascular disorder). AEs typically occurred during the first 6 months and tended to be less frequent in later cycles. No new safety signals were observed with long-term inavolisib use. Conclusions: These data indicate acceptable long-term tolerability. The safety profile of pts on study treatment with inavolisib alone or in combo with endocrine-based anticancer therapies for ≥1 year was similar to that reported for the overall study population. Updated data will be presented. A phase 3 study of inavolisib + palbo + fulv is enrolling (NCT04191499; INAVO120). Clinical trial information: NCT03006172.

Alpelisib (ALP) + endocrine therapy (ET) in patients (pts) with hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2–), PIK3CA-mutated (mut) advanced breast cancer (ABC): Baseline biomarker analysis and progression-free survival (PFS) by duration of prior cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) therapy in the BYLieve study

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Background: ALP (PI3K-α selective inhibitor and degrader) + fulvestrant (FUL) is approved for pts with HR+, HER2– ABC and a tumor mutation in PIK3CA (̃ 40% of these pts). Primary analyses from the Phase 2 BYLieve study demonstrated efficacy and safety of ALP + ET in pts with PIK3CA-mut, HR+, HER2– ABC in the post-CDK4/6i setting. Post hoc analyses, including pts with disease progression within 6 mo of CDK4/6i + ET treatment (Tx), confirmed ALP benefit regardless of duration of prior CDK4/6i. Here we assess baseline biomarkers in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) by duration of prior CDK4/6i Tx and PFS in pts from BYLieve Cohorts A and B. Methods: In the BYLieve study, pts with PIK3CA-mut, HR+, HER2– ABC had CDK4/6i + aromatase inhibitor (Cohort A) or + FUL (Cohort B) as immediate prior Tx to receiving ALP + FUL and ALP + letrozole (LET), respectively. At data cutoff dates, pts had ≥ 18-mo follow-up in Cohort A and ≥ 6-mo in Cohort B. In each cohort, pts were grouped based on duration of prior CDK4/6i Tx (≤ 6 mo or >6 mo). Alterations were detected on ctDNA using next-generation sequencing (PanCancer V2 Panel). PFS was assessed in each cohort and by duration of prior CDK4/6i Tx. Results: Of 127 and 126 pts enrolled in Cohorts A and B, respectively, 98 (≤ 6-mo: 24; >6-mo: 74) and 94 (≤ 6-mo: 28; >6-mo: 66) were included in this analysis based on availability of ctDNA samples, data on duration of prior CDK4/6i, and centrally confirmed PIK3CA-mut disease. In this population, median (m) PFS (95% CI) was 8.2 mo (5.6 - 9.5) and 5.6 mo (3.7 - 7.1) in Cohorts A and B, respectively. In Cohort A, mPFS (95% CI) was 12.0 mo (5.5-non estimable) and 6.2 mo (5.4 - 8.5) in the ≤ 6-mo and >6-mo groups, respectively. The OncoPrint genomic profiles showed that pts in the ≤ 6-mo vs >6-mo group had a lower median ctDNA fraction and fewer detected gene alterations, including in genes associated with ET and/or CDK4/6i resistance, and fewer chromosomes 8/11 amplifications (linked to early relapse). In Cohort B, mPFS was 5.9 mo (3.5 - 11.0) and 5.6 mo (3.7 - 7.1) in the ≤ 6-mo and >6-mo groups, respectively. Both groups had high median ctDNA fractions and complex tumor mutation profiles reflecting more extensive treatment history. Conclusions: Lower median ctDNA fraction and lower mutational complexity observed in Cohort A ≤ 6-mo vs >6-mo group was associated with numerically longer mPFS, potentially indicating increased dependence on the mutant PI3K-α. In Cohort B, both ≤ 6-mo and >6-mo groups had high median ctDNA fractions and similar tumor mutation profiles. Additional ctDNA and tissue analyses are needed to elucidate the correlation between ALP + ET efficacy and treatment timing and baseline genomic complexity.

Results from plasmaMATCH trial cohort E: A phase II trial of olaparib and ceralasertib in patients with triple-negative advanced breast cancer (CRUK/15/010)

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Background: The plasmaMATCH trial was an open label platform trial, consisting of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) testing in ̃1000 patients with advanced breast cancer (ABC) linked to parallel treatment cohorts with therapies matched to mutations identified in ctDNA. Cohorts A-D have already reported (Turner N et al, Lancet Oncol 2020). Cohort E recruited patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) without a targetable mutation identified at ctDNA screening, treating with olaparib (PARP inhibitor) plus ceralasertib (ATR inhibitor). Methods: Patients with TNBC who had received 1 or 2 lines of chemotherapy for advanced disease or relapsed within 12 months of (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy were eligible. Treatment was olaparib 300mg b.i.d continuously and ceralasertib 160mg qd on days 1–7 on a 28 day cycle, until disease progression. The primary endpoint was confirmed objective response rate by RECIST v1.1. Secondary endpoints included clinical benefit rate, progression-free survival (PFS) and safety. Biomarker analysis included response according to BRCA and somatic DNA repair gene status and ATM loss. Using a two-stage design with a target response rate of 25%, unacceptable response rate of 10%, alpha=2% and power=90%, ≥13 responses out of 69 evaluable stage 2 patients were required to infer efficacy (5/37 stage 1). Results: Between 17/09/18 and 5/10/20 75 patients enrolled in Cohort E of whom 70 were evaluable for response. The median age was 55.6 years. 42 (56%) patients had 1 and 13 (17.3%) had 2 prior line(s) of chemotherapy for metastatic disease. Efficacy is shown in Table. The most common grade ≥3 adverse events were: hypertension 12 (17%) and anaemia 9 (13%). Dose reductions and interruptions occurred in 19 (26.4%) and 34 (47.2%) patients respectively. Conclusions: The response rate to olaparib and ceralasertib did not meet pre-specified criteria for efficacy in the overall evaluable population. Responses were observed in patients without germline or somatic BRCA1/2 mutations. Translational analyses are underway to identify potential biomarkers of response in this population and will be presented at the meeting. Clinical trial information: ISRCTN16945804. [Table: see text]

Baseline and longitudinal ctDNA biomarkers in GEICAM/2013-02 (PEARL) trial cohort 2 comparing palbociclib and fulvestrant (PAL + FUL) versus capecitabine (CAPE)

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Background: The randomized PEARL trial found no superiority of PAL plus endocrine therapy over CAPE in patients (pts) with metastatic HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer resistant to aromatase inhibitors (Martin M, Ann Oncol 2020). We investigated associations between baseline genomic landscape and on-treatment plasma ctDNA dynamics with progression free survival, in pts from cohort 2 of the trial. Methods: Plasma was collected for ctDNA analysis from -7 days to cycle 1-day 1 (C1D1) for baseline prognostic analysis and cycle 1-day 15 (C1D15) when available, and sequenced with an in-house error-corrected targeted capture panel encompassing 21 genes commonly altered in breast cancer. For predictive ctDNA dynamics analysis, a pre-specified criteria of 14 minimum days of treatment in first cycle was required and variants with VAF <0.5% in C1D1, set as limit of detection, were excluded. The circulating DNA ratio (CDR) was calculated as a weighted mean for potentially clonal mutations at C1D1. The optimal cut-off for predicting PFS was assessed by fitting a range of cut-offs, identifying the one with lower p-value on the log-rank test. Adjusted p-values, potential overestimation corrected by a shrinkage factor and bootstrapping techniques to calculate the CI95% were used in the cutpoint Cox regression model. Results: A total of 201 pts had a C1D1 sample sequenced for baseline prognostic analysis, 146 (73%) had baseline mutations identified and 55 (27%) had no mutations. 187 (93%) pts had a paired C1D15 sample for CDR calculations. Of these, 134 (72%) had baseline mutations detected, 120 of them (90%) above 0.5%, 14 (10%) had no calls, 1 pair failed sequencing. Both baseline and CDR subsets were representative of the overall study population. Pts with TP53 mutations had worse PFS in the overall population (4.4 vs 9.3 months, logrank p= 0.04), with no differences between treatments. For on-treatment ctDNA dynamic analysis, median CDR (suppression) was lower in the CAPE arm (0.07 vs 0.21, p<0.01). There was an association between optimal cut-offs predicting PFS both in CAPE (suppressed 16.6 months vs high ctDNA 4.2 months, HR 2.37, CI95% 0.96-5.83, p=0.05) and PAL + FUL arms (suppressed 15.7 months vs high ctDNA 5.5 months, HR 2.14, CI95% 0.92-5, p=0.06). More ctDNA suppression associated with likelihood of objective responses (median CDR 0.1 in objective responders vs median CDR 0.2 in progressive disease p=0.03), with no statistical significance when stratified per treatment. Conclusions: In PEARL cohort 2, TP53 mutations associated with poor outcome regardless of treatment allocation, suggesting aggressive behaviour not specifically linked to endocrine resistance. Lack of ctDNA suppression associated with worse outcome in both patient groups. Capecitabine resulted in greater ctDNA suppression at C1D15, likely reflecting faster ctDNA suppression.

Serena-1: Updated analyses from a phase 1 study (parts C/D) of the next-generation oral SERD camizestrant (AZD9833) in combination with palbociclib, in women with ER-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer

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Background: SERENA-1 (NCT03616587) is a Phase 1, multi-part, open-label study of camizestrant in women with ER+, HER2− advanced breast cancer (ABC). Parts A/B (escalation/expansion) assessed camizestrant monotherapy and have been presented previously. Parts C/D examine camizestrant in combination with palbociclib; here we present mature data from camizestrant 75 mg in combination with palbociclib; 75 mg being the camizestrant dose currently under investigation in the Phase 3 studies SERENA-4 (NCT04711252) and SERENA-6 (NCT04964934). Methods: The primary objective was to determine the safety and tolerability of camizestrant once daily (QD) with palbociclib. Secondary objectives included anti-tumor response and pharmacokinetics (PK). Prior treatment with < 2 lines of chemotherapy in the advanced setting was permitted. There was no limit on the number of lines of prior endocrine treatment in the advanced setting; prior treatment with CDK4/6 inhibitors and fulvestrant (F) was permitted. Results: As of 9 September 2021, 25 patients had received camizestrant 75 mg QD in combination with palbociclib. Tolerability of the combination of camizestrant 75 mg and palbociclib was consistent with that of each drug individually. No patient required camizestrant dose interruption/reduction/discontinuation due to a camizestrant-related adverse event (AE); moreover, none experienced a Grade ≥3 camizestrant-related AE. All camizestrant-related heart rate reductions were Grade 1 (asymptomatic). All camizestrant-related visual effects were Grade 1 (mild), apart from one patient who experienced transient Grade 2 (moderate) visual effects that resolved to Grade 1 without dose modification. Camizestrant-related gastrointestinal disorders were all Grade 1, except one instance of Grade 2 nausea lasting one day. PK data for camizestrant 75 mg QD and palbociclib combined were broadly consistent with camizestrant as monotherapy and published palbociclib steady-state PK data, further supporting the use of camizestrant 75 mg QD (Phase 3 dose) in combination with the approved palbociclib doses. In these heavily pre-treated patients (48% prior chemotherapy, 80% prior CDK4/6i, 68% prior F; all in advanced disease setting) and of whom 60% had visceral metastases, the clinical benefit rate at 24 weeks was 7/25 (28%). Conclusions: The PK and safety profile of camizestrant 75 mg QD in combination with palbociclib is favorable in this mature Phase 1 dataset. Despite extensive pre-treatment - including chemotherapies, CDK4/6i, and F - camizestrant 75 mg QD in combination with palbociclib exhibits encouraging clinical activity. The results from the ongoing Phase 3 studies, SERENA-4 and SERENA-6, will further elucidate the role of this combination in the treatment of patients with HR+/HER2− ABC. Clinical trial information: NCT03616587.

Operational complexity versus design efficiency: challenges of implementing a phase IIa multiple parallel cohort targeted treatment platform trial in advanced breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Platform trial designs are used increasingly in cancer clinical research and are considered an efficient model for evaluating multiple compounds within a single disease or disease subtype. However, these trial designs can be challenging to operationalise. The use of platform trials in oncology clinical research has increased considerably in recent years as advances in molecular biology enable molecularly defined stratification of patient populations and targeted therapy evaluation. Whereas multiple separate trials may be deemed infeasible, platform designs allow efficient, parallel evaluation of multiple targeted therapies in relatively small biologically defined patient sub-populations with the promise of increased molecular screening efficiency and reduced time for drug evaluation. Whilst the theoretical efficiencies are widely reported, the operational challenges associated with these designs (complexity, cost, regulatory, resource) are not always well understood. MAIN: In this commentary, we describe our practical experience of the implementation and delivery of the UK plasmaMATCH trial, a platform trial in advanced breast cancer, comprising an integrated screening component and multiple parallel downstream mutation-directed therapeutic cohorts. plasmaMATCH reported its primary results within 3 years of opening to recruitment. We reflect on the operational challenges encountered and share lessons learnt to inform the successful conduct of future trials. Key to the success of the plasmaMATCH trial was well co-ordinated stakeholder engagement by an experienced clinical trials unit with expert methodology and trial management expertise, a federated model of clinical leadership, a well-written protocol integrating screening and treatment components and including justification for the chosen structure and intentions for future adaptions, and an integrated funding model with streamlined contractual arrangements across multiple partners. Findings based on our practical experience include the importance of early engagement with the regulators and consideration of a flexible resource infrastructure to allow adequate resource allocation to support concurrent trial activities as adaptions are implemented in parallel to the continued management of patient safety and data quality of the ongoing trial cohorts.

CONCLUSION

Platform trial designs allow the efficient reporting of multiple treatment cohorts. Operational challenges can be overcome through multidisciplinary engagement, streamlined contracting processes, rationalised protocol and database design and appropriate resourcing.

Abstract P5-17-05: A phase I/Ib study of inavolisib (GDC-0077) in combination with fulvestrant in patients (pts) with PIK3CA-mutated hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) metastatic breast cancer

Background Dysregulating mutations in PIK3CA, which encodes the catalytic PI3K p110α subunit, are common in breast cancer and other solid tumors. There are limited data available on the role of PI3Kα inhibition in the post-cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) setting. Inavolisib is a PI3Kα-selective inhibitor and degrader of mutated PI3Kα that has demonstrated encouraging preliminary antitumor activity in patients with PIK3CA-mutated HR+ breast cancer as a single agent, and in combination with antiestrogen therapy. An open-label, phase I/Ib dose-escalation study of inavolisib alone and in combination with endocrine and targeted therapies is ongoing (NCT03006172; GO39374). Data for inavolisib in combination with fulvestrant in female pts with PIK3CA-mutated, HR+/HER2- breast cancer (Arm D) are presented. Methods Safety (NCI-CTCAE v4), pharmacokinetics (PK), and preliminary antitumor activity (assessed every 2 cycles via RECIST v1.1; clinical benefit rate [CBR]: stable disease for ≥24 weeks, partial response [PR], or complete response; progression-free survival [PFS]) of 9 mg inavolisib administered orally once daily in combination with 500 mg intramuscular fulvestrant on Day 1 (and Day 15 of Cycle 1) of 28-day cycles were assessed until intolerable toxicity or disease progression. Early dynamics of PIK3CA-mutation allele frequency were assessed from circulating tumor (ct)DNA samples. Results At clinical cutoff (April 5, 2021), 55 pts were enrolled in Arm D and enrollment was ongoing. Thirty-seven pts (67%) had received ≥2 prior lines of therapy for metastatic breast cancer, 19 (35%) had received chemotherapy in the metastatic setting, 26 (47%) had received prior fulvestrant, and 53 (96%) had received a prior CDK4/6i. Median inavolisib treatment duration was 5.3 months (range 0.2-31.9); cumulative dose intensity was 98%. Thirty-two pts (58%) had dose modifications (interruptions, reductions, and/or discontinuations) due to adverse events (AEs). The most common treatment-related AEs (≥15% of pts) were hyperglycemia (31 pts, 56%), diarrhea (21 pts, 38%), stomatitis (grouped term; 19 pts, 35%), nausea (17 pts, 31%), and dysgeusia (nine pts, 16%). Grade ≥3 treatment-related AEs in ≥2 pts were hyperglycemia (13 pts, 24%) and alanine aminotransferase increased (two pts, 4%). No grade 3 rash was observed. Thirty-eight pts (70%) discontinued treatment: 36, due to radiographic or clinical disease progression; one, due to physician’s decision; and one, due to death (unrelated serious AE of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). No treatment-related AE resulted in treatment discontinuation. Overall, 12/49 pts with measurable disease achieved a PR (25%; three of the responding pts had received prior fulvestrant; 11, prior CDK4/6i). Nine pts (18%) had a confirmed PR. CBR was 49% (27/55 pts). Preliminary median PFS was 7.1 months (0-29). Analysis of ctDNA from most pts demonstrated decreased PIK3CA-mutation allele frequency during treatment. The PK of inavolisib in combination with fulvestrant was similar to single-agent inavolisib PK. Conclusion Inavolisib in combination with fulvestrant demonstrated a manageable safety profile, encouraging preliminary antitumor activity, similar PK to inavolisib alone, and pharmacodynamic modulation (i.e., decreased PIK3CA-mutation allele frequency in ctDNA), including in patients who previously progressed on a CDK4/6i. Inavolisib continues to be developed in breast cancer and other solid tumors.

Citation Format: Dejan Juric, Phillippe L Bedard, Andrés Cervantes, Valentina Gambardella, Mafalda Oliveira, Cristina Saura, Kevin M Kalinsky, Erika Hamilton, Antoine Italiano, Ian E Krop, Peter Schmid, Nicholas C Turner, Andrea Varga, Stephanie Royer-Joo, Katherine E Hutchinson, Jennifer L Schutzman, Komal L Jhaveri. A phase I/Ib study of inavolisib (GDC-0077) in combination with fulvestrant in patients (pts) with PIK3CA-mutated hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) metastatic breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-17-05.

Abstract P2-01-10: Detection of ctDNA following surgery predicts relapse in breast cancer patients receiving primary surgery

Introduction: Identification of Molecular Residual Disease (MRD) by circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) analysis has the potential to transform the clinical management of patients with early breast cancer. We present results from a proof-of-principle study to assess ctDNA analysis following primary surgery to identify MRD and anticipate which patients are at risk of relapse. Methods: Early breast cancer patients receiving primary surgery for breast cancer (48 total), enrolled in the PlasmaDNA/ITH sample collection studies were included in the analysis. Tumour DNA from FFPE samples was whole exome sequenced to identify patient specific mutations and design personalized Signatera ctDNA assays. Plasma samples were collected pre-surgery (n=31), 1-14 weeks post-surgery and prior to adjuvant therapy (n=48), and following adjuvant chemotherapy (n=36). Cell free DNA was extracted from a total of 144 plasma samples (median volume 3.6ml, range 1.8-4.7ml) and sequenced with Signatera ctDNA assays. Primary objective was to assess whether relapse free survival (RFS) and distant metastasis free survival (DMFS) are worse in patients with ctDNA detected at the post-surgery timepoint compared to those without ctDNA detected. Results: Median age was 50.5 years, 34 had hormone receptor positive HER2 negative (HR+HER2-), 5 HER2 positive and 9 triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), 32 were stage 1-2 and 16 were stage 3-4. At a median follow-up of 60 months post-surgery, 8 patients had relapsed. ctDNA was detected in the single post-surgery timepoint in 29% (14/48) of patients, and detected in 62.5% (5/8) of patients who relapsed. RFS in patients with ctDNA detected at a single post-surgery timepoint was worse than those with no detected ctDNA although it was not statistically significant (Hazard Ratio (HR): 3.7; 95% CI, 0.9-15.6; P=0.07), while ctDNA detection associated with worse DMFS (HR: 5.6; 95% CI, 1.1-29-3; P=0.04). DMFS at 4 years follow-up in those with MRD ctDNA detection was 0.78 (95% CI 0.47-0.92) and those without MRD detection was 0.97 (95% CI 0.80-0.99). In patients with a pre-surgical timepoint (n=31), 64.5% (20/31) had ctDNA detected. Detection of ctDNA at either pre-surgery or post-surgery was associated with worse outcomes compared to no ctDNA detection at both RFS (HR: 7.9; 95% CI, 0.9-64.7; P=0.05) and DMFS (HR: 6.7; 95% CI, 0.8-55.8; P=0.07). Conclusions: In this proof-of-principle study of early-stage breast cancer patients, ctDNA-detected MRD at a single post-surgical timepoint was associated with distant metastasis free survival. The majority of patients with ctDNA detected MRD did not relapse, during the period of follow-up, possibly suggesting activity of adjuvant therapy in these patients. Further assessment is warranted on the prognostic impact of ctDNA MRD detection, and its possible role in adjuvant chemotherapy selection.

Citation Format: Isaac Garcia-Murillas, Rosalind J Cutts, Lara Ulrich, Matthew Beaney, Marie Robert, Maria Coakley, Catey Bunce, Giselle WalshCrestani, Sarah Hrebien, Ekaterina Kalashnikova, Hsin-Ta Wu, Scott Dashner, Himanshu Sethi, Alexey Aleshin, Alistair Ring, Alicia Okines, Ian E Smith, Mitch Dowsett, Peter Barry, Nicholas C Turner. Detection of ctDNA following surgery predicts relapse in breast cancer patients receiving primary surgery [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-01-10.

Understanding and overcoming tumor heterogeneity in metastatic breast cancer treatment

Rational development of targeted therapies has revolutionized metastatic breast cancer outcomes, although resistance to treatment remains a major challenge. Advances in molecular profiling and imaging technologies have provided evidence for the impact of clonal diversity in cancer treatment resistance, through the outgrowth of resistant clones. In this Review, we focus on the genomic processes that drive tumoral heterogeneity and the mechanisms of resistance underlying metastatic breast cancer treatment and discuss implications for future treatment strategies.

Clinical outcomes in patients with triple negative or HER2 positive lobular breast cancer: a single institution experience

PURPOSE

Invasive lobular carcinomas (ILC) are characterised by loss of the cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin. Approximately 15% of ILC are ER negative at the time of breast cancer diagnosis, or at relapse due to loss of ER expression. Less than 5% of classical ILC but up to 35% of pleomorphic ILC are HER2 positive (HER2+).

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of clinic-pathological data from patients with Triple negative (TN) or HER2+ ILC diagnosed 2004-2014 at the Royal Marsden Hospital. The primary endpoint was median overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic disease. Secondary endpoints included response rate to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), median disease-free interval (DFI) and OS for patients with early disease.

RESULTS

Three of 16 patients with early TN ILC and 7/33 with early HER2+ ILC received NAC with pCR rates of 0/3 and 3/5 patients who underwent surgery, respectively. Median DFI was 28.5 months [95% Confidence interval (95%CI) 15-78.8] for TN ILC and not reached (NR) (111.2-NR) for HER2+ early ILC. Five-year OS was 52% (95%CI 23-74%) and 77% (95%CI 58-88%), respectively. Twenty-three patients with advanced TN ILC and 14 patients with advanced HER2+ ILC were identified. Median OS was 18.3 months (95%CI 13.0-32.8 months) and 30.4 months (95%CI 8.8-NR), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In our institution we report a high relapse rate after treatment for early TN ILC, but median OS from metastatic disease is similar to that expected from TN IDC. Outcomes for patients with advanced HER2+ ILC were less favourable than those expected for IDC, possibly reflecting incomplete exposure to anti-HER2 therapies.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

ROLo (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03620643), ROSALINE (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04551495).

Assessing CSF ctDNA to improve diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic monitoring in breast cancer leptomeningeal metastasis

PURPOSE

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology is the gold standard diagnostic test for breast cancer leptomeningeal metastasis (BCLM), but has impaired sensitivity, often necessitating repeated lumbar puncture to confirm or refute diagnosis. Further, there is no quantitative response tool to assess response or progression during BCLM treatment.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Facing the challenge of working with small volume samples and the lack of common recurrent mutations in breast cancers, cell-free DNA was extracted from CSF and plasma of patients undergoing investigation for BCLM (n=30). ctDNA fraction was assessed by ultra-low pass whole genome sequencing (ulpWGS), which does not require prior tumor sequencing.

RESULTS

In this proof-of-concept study ctDNA was detected (fraction {greater than or equal to}0.10) in CSF of all 24 BCLM+ patients (median ctDNA fraction 0.57), regardless of negative cytology or borderline MRI imaging, whereas CSF ctDNA was not detected in the 6 BCLM- patients (median ctDNA fraction 0.03, P<0.0001). Plasma ctDNA was only detected in patients with extracranial disease progression or who had previously received whole brain radiotherapy. ctDNA fraction was highly concordant with mutant allele fraction measured by tumor mutation-specific ddPCR assays (r=0.852, P<0.0001). During intrathecal treatment, serial monitoring (n=12 patients) showed that suppression of CSF ctDNA fraction was associated with longer BCLM survival (P=0.034) and rising ctDNA fraction was detectable up to 12 weeks before clinical progression.

CONCLUSION

Measuring ctDNA fraction by ulpWGS is a quantitative marker demonstrating potential for timely and accurate BCLM diagnosis and therapy response monitoring, with the ultimate aim to improve management of this poor prognosis patient group.

Niraparib for Advanced Breast Cancer with Germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations: the EORTC 1307-BCG/BIG5-13/TESARO PR-30-50-10-C BRAVO Study

PURPOSE

To investigate the activity of niraparib in patients with germline-mutated BRCA1/2 (gBRCAm) advanced breast cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

BRAVO was a randomized, open-label phase III trial. Eligible patients had gBRCAm and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer previously treated with ≤2 prior lines of chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer or had relapsed within 12 months of adjuvant chemotherapy, and were randomized 2:1 between niraparib and physician's choice chemotherapy (PC; monotherapy with eribulin, capecitabine, vinorelbine, or gemcitabine). Patients with hormone receptor-positive tumors had to have received ≥1 line of endocrine therapy and progressed during this treatment in the metastatic setting or relapsed within 1 year of (neo)adjuvant treatment. The primary endpoint was centrally assessed progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), PFS by local assessment (local-PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and safety.

RESULTS

After the pre-planned interim analysis, recruitment was halted on the basis of futility, noting a high degree of discordance between local and central PFS assessment in the PC arm that resulted in informative censoring. At the final analysis (median follow-up, 19.9 months), median centrally assessed PFS was 4.1 months in the niraparib arm (n = 141) versus 3.1 months in the PC arm [n = 74; hazard ratio (HR), 0.96; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.65-1.44; P = 0.86]. HRs for OS and local-PFS were 0.95 (95% CI, 0.63-1.42) and 0.65 (95% CI, 0.46-0.93), respectively. ORR was 35% (95% CI, 26-45) with niraparib and 31% (95% CI, 19-46) in the PC arm.

CONCLUSIONS

Informative censoring in the control arm prevented accurate assessment of the trial hypothesis, although there was clear evidence of niraparib's activity in this patient population.

Heterogeneous HER2 Amplification-a New Clinical Category of HER2-Positive Breast Cancer?

HER2 amplification heterogeneity is associated with resistance to trastuzumab emtansine in the neoadjuvant setting, emphasizing the importance of assessing whether heterogeneous HER2-positive cancers require different treatment pathways.See related article by Metzger Filho et al., p. 2474.

Abstract 536: Molecular residual disease detection in early stage breast cancer with a personalized sequencing approach

Introduction: Detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) presents a strategy to identify Molecular Residual Disease (MRD) in patients with breast cancer. Tools capable of detecting ctDNA at lower concentrations are needed to increase sensitivity and lengthen lead time between ctDNA detection and relapse. We present results from a highly sensitive personalized sequencing approach for ctDNA detection of MRD based on multiple patient specific mutations.

Methods: 22 early breast cancer patients (12 hormone receptor positive HER2 negative (HR+HER2-), 7 HER2+ and 3 triple negative breast cancer (TNBC)) enrolled in the ChemoNEAR sample collection study were included. Tumor DNA from FFPE samples was Whole Exome Sequenced to identify patient specific mutations and design personalized Residual Disease and Recurrence (RaDaRTM) multiplex PCR assays. Cell free DNA was extracted from 147 plasma samples (median volume 4ml, range 0.5-5ml) and sequenced with RaDaR assays, with 10-61 variants (median 41) per panel, to 100,000x per locus. A matched single timepoint buffy coat was sequenced to identify confounding CHIP mutations. A proprietary algorithm was used to identify ctDNA. Tumor Sequencing of multiple biopsy timepoints was carried out for 14 patients (mean 2.8 samples per patient) and clonal populations estimated with Pyclone. For clusters of greater than 10 mutations, RaDaR panels were supplemented with additional variants for clonal tracking.

Results: At a median follow-up of 24.6 months post-surgery, MRD was identified in 100% (17/17) of relapsed patients, and in none of the 54 time points in the 5 patients that did not relapse (p=0.0002, Log rank test). Detection of ctDNA levels ranged from 7.4 parts per million (ppm), equivalent to Allele Frequency (AF) of 0.0007%, to 13,195ppm (1.3%) (median 625ppm and 0.06% AF). Median lead-time from ctDNA detection to clinical relapse in patients with extracranial disease relapse was 12.89 months (range 3.72-26.04). In three patients with brain only relapse, ctDNA was detected prior to relapse in all patients (3/3, 100%) albeit with a reduced lead time over clinical relapse (3.85, 4.21 and 5.65 months), which was not previously achievable with single mutation dPCR MRD-detection assays. In 8/14 patients with multiple tumor samples sequenced, multiple clones (mean 3.4 clones/patient) were identified, with heterogenous polyclonal relapse in 4/8 patients, and a single clone detectable in 4/8 patients.

Conclusions: In a retrospective, multi-center, proof-of-principle study of early stage breast cancer patients with personalized sequencing assays, ctDNA-detected MRD associates with relapse free survival and long lead time over clinical relapse. Sequencing based ctDNA testing can detect patients with brain-only relapses, with increased sensitivity over first generation dPCR-based ctDNA assays.

Citation Format: Rosalind J. Cutts, Maria Coakley, Isaac Garcia-Murillas, Lara Ulrich, Karen Howarth, Warren Emmett, Malcolm Perry, Pete Ellis, Charlene Knape, Stephen R. Johnston, Alistair Ring, Simon Russell, Abigail Evans, Anthony Skene, Duncan Wheatley, Mitch Dowsett, Ian E. Smith, Nicholas C. Turner. Molecular residual disease detection in early stage breast cancer with a personalized sequencing approach [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 536.

Prognostic Factors for Overall Survival in Patients with Hormone Receptor-Positive Advanced Breast Cancer: Analyses From PALOMA-3

Background

This analysis investigated whether baseline characteristics affect the survival benefit derived from palbociclib‐fulvestrant and the optimal timing of cyclin‐dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor therapy for advanced breast cancer (ABC) in patients from PALOMA‐3.

Patients and Methods

In total, 521 patients were randomized 2:1 to receive palbociclib (125 mg/day, 3/1 schedule)–fulvestrant (500 mg, intramuscular injection, on days 1 and 15 of cycle 1, and then day 1 of each subsequent cycle) or matching placebo‐fulvestrant. Median overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival were estimated using the Kaplan‐Meier method.

Results

Multivariable analysis identified endocrine sensitivity, nonvisceral disease, no prior chemotherapy for ABC, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) of 0 as significant prognostic factors for OS. Patients without chemotherapy for ABC had fewer prior lines of treatment in any setting and in the ABC setting versus patients with prior chemotherapy for ABC (two or fewer prior systemic therapies: 69% vs. 42%; no more than one prior line for ABC: 82% vs. 33%, respectively). Median OS was prolonged with palbociclib‐fulvestrant in patients without prior chemotherapy for ABC (39.7 vs. 29.5 months; hazard ratio, 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.56–1.01) and was similar in patients with prior chemotherapy for ABC (25.6 vs. 26.2 months; hazard ratio, 0.91 [95% CI: 0.63–1.32]) versus placebo‐fulvestrant.

Conclusion

Prognostic factors for OS included endocrine sensitivity, nonvisceral disease, ECOG PS of 0, and no prior chemotherapy for ABC. Exploratory analyses suggest improved OS with palbociclib‐fulvestrant versus placebo‐fulvestrant in patients with no prior chemotherapy for ABC, prior endocrine sensitivity, and fewer prior regimens of systemic therapy. (Clinical trial identification number: NCT01942135).

Implications for Practice

Prognostic factors for overall survival in HR+/HER2− advanced breast cancer (ABC) include the absence of prior chemotherapy in the advanced setting, endocrine sensitivity, nonvisceral disease, and an ECOG performance status of 0. Improved overall survival benefit was observed with palbociclib‐fulvestrant versus placebo‐fulvestrant in patients (regardless of menopausal status or visceral involvement) with no prior chemotherapy for ABC, with prior endocrine sensitivity, and fewer prior regimens of systemic therapy. Progression‐free survival was prolonged with palbociclib across subgroups (regardless of chemotherapy exposure in ABC). These exploratory findings suggest that patients may receive greater clinical benefit from palbociclib‐fulvestrant if they receive the combination before chemotherapy in the advanced setting.

This article focuses on whether baseline characteristics affect the survival benefit derived from palbociclib‐fulvestrant and the optimal timing of cyclin‐dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor therapy for advanced breast cancer in patients from the PALOMA‐3 clinical trial.

Evaluation of the Association of Polymorphisms With Palbociclib-Induced Neutropenia: Pharmacogenetic Analysis of PALOMA-2/-3

BACKGROUND

The most frequently reported treatment-related adverse event in clinical trials with the cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor palbociclib is neutropenia. Allelic variants in ABCB1 and ERCC1 might be associated with early occurrence (i.e., end of week 2 treatment) of grade 3/4 neutropenia. Pharmacogenetic analyses were performed to uncover associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in these genes, patient baseline characteristics, and early occurrence of grade 3/4 neutropenia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

ABCB1 (rs1045642, rs1128503) and ERCC1 (rs3212986, rs11615) were analyzed in germline DNA from palbociclib-treated patients from PALOMA-2 (n = 584) and PALOMA-3 (n = 442). SNP, race, and cycle 1 day 15 (C1D15) absolute neutrophil count (ANC) data were available for 652 patients. Univariate and multivariable analyses evaluated associations between SNPs, patient baseline characteristics, and early occurrence of grade 3/4 neutropenia. Analyses were stratified by Asian (n = 122) and non-Asian (n = 530) ethnicity. Median progression-free survival (mPFS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The effect of genetic variants on palbociclib pharmacokinetics was analyzed.

RESULTS

ABCB1 and ERCC1_rs11615 SNP frequencies differed between Asian and non-Asian patients. Multivariable analysis showed that low baseline ANC was a strong independent risk factor for C1D15 grade 3/4 neutropenia regardless of race (Asians: odds ratio [OR], 6.033, 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.615-13.922, p < .0001; Non-Asians: OR, 6.884, 95% CI, 4.138-11.451, p < .0001). ABCB1_rs1128503 (C/C vs. T/T: OR, 0.57, 95% CI, 0.311-1.047, p = .070) and ERCC1_rs11615 (A/A vs. G/G: OR, 1.75, 95% CI, 0.901-3.397, p = .098) were potential independent risk factors for C1D15 grade 3/4 neutropenia in non-Asian patients. Palbociclib mPFS was consistent across genetic variants; exposure was not associated with ABCB1 genotype.

CONCLUSION

This is the first comprehensive assessment of pharmacogenetic data in relationship to exposure to a CDK4/6 inhibitor. Pharmacogenetic testing may inform about potentially increased likelihood of patients developing severe neutropenia (NCT01740427, NCT01942135).

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Palbociclib plus endocrine therapy improves hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative advanced breast cancer outcomes, but is commonly associated with neutropenia. Genetic variants in ABCB1 may influence palbociclib exposure, and in ERCC1 are associated with chemotherapy-induced severe neutropenia. Here, the associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms in these genes and baseline characteristics with neutropenia were assessed. Low baseline absolute neutrophil count was a strong risk factor (p < .0001) for grade 3/4 neutropenia. There was a trend indicating that ABCB1_rs1128503 and ERCC1_rs11615 were potential risk factors (p < .10) for grade 3/4 neutropenia in non-Asian patients. Pharmacogenetic testing could inform clinicians about the likelihood of severe neutropenia with palbociclib.

CCNE1 mRNA and cyclin E1 protein expression as predictive biomarkers for efficacy of palbociclib plus fulvestrant versus capecitabine in the phase III PEARL study

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Background: The randomized PEARL trial found no superiority of palbociclib plus endocrine therapy over capecitabine in patients (pts) with metastatic HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer resistant to prior aromatase inhibitors (Martin M, Ann Oncol 2020). Gene expression analysis showed high CCNE1 mRNA ( CCNE1) conferring relative resistance to palbociclib in the PALOMA-3 trial (Turner N, JCO 2019), but further validation is needed. Cyclin E1 protein (cyclin E1) expression in this context has not been studied in randomized trials. We explored CCNE1 and cyclin E1 as predictive biomarkers in tumor samples from the PEARL study. Methods: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embeded tumor samples were retrieved from pts enrolled in PEARL cohort 2 (palbociclib (PAL) + fulvestrant (FUL) vs capecitabine (CAPE)). We measured CCNE1 using the HTG EdgeSeq Oncology Biomarker Panel (HTG Molecular Diagnostics). Cyclin E1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was performed using specific mouse monoclonal antibody HE12 (Abcam) and scored as percentage of invasive nuclei stained (0-100%). CCNE1 and cyclin E1 correlations were explored using Pearson coefficients. Cox regression models were used for progression free-survival (PFS) analyses using expression levels split by median, to define high ( > median values) vs. low expression. Site of disease and prior chemotherapy were used as confounders in multivariate models. Results: Analyses were conducted in 219 pts (47% receiving PAL + FUL and 53% CAPE) with available tumors, with the analysed patients representative of the overall study. Most samples were from the archival primary (72%), obtained > 5 years before this analysisº (74%). CCNE1 and cyclin E1 were only moderately correlated (r = 0.5). Median CCNE1 was higher in metastatic vs primary (7.37 vs 6.94, p < 0.01), and in luminal B and non-luminal subtypes compared to luminal A (p < 0.001). In patients with high CCNE1 expression, median PFS on CAPE was 10.35 and PAL + FUL was 5.68 (HR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.02-2.59, p = 0.042). In patients with low CCNE1 expression, median PFS on CAPE was 9.43 and PAL + FUL was 8.97 (adjusted HR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.59-1.48, p = 0.762, interaction p = 0.072). Median cyclin E1 protein was higher in luminal B and non-luminal subtypes compared to luminal A (p < 0.01). Cyclin E1 protein expression was not predictive of treatment effect (high cyclin E1 expression CAPE vs PAL + FUL HR = 1.17, low cyclin E1 expression CAPE vs PAL + FUL HR = 1.21, interaction p = 0.977). Conclusions: High tumor CCNE1 mRNA expression identified patients with relative resistance to palbociclib plus fulvestrant, validating prior observations although without statistical significance for interaction. Assessment of Cyclin E1 protein expression did not show predictive value. Investigation treatments to enhance CDK4/6 inhibitor efficacy in tumors with high CCNE1 expression is warranted. Clinical trial information: NCT02028507 .

Overall survival (OS) with palbociclib (PAL) + fulvestrant (FUL) in women with hormone receptor–positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative (HER2–) advanced breast cancer (ABC): Updated analyses from PALOMA-3

1000

Background: In PALOMA-3, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study, PAL+FUL significantly prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) compared with placebo (PBO) + FUL (1-sided P<0.0001). The final protocol-specified OS analysis, which was conducted with a median follow-up of 44.8 months (mo), showed improved OS with PAL+FUL vs PBO+FUL (median OS, 34.9 vs 28.0 mo; hazard ratio, 0.814 [95% CI, 0.644–1.029]; 1-sided P=0.0429). Here, we report the results from an OS analysis with a longer median follow-up of 73.3 mo. Methods: A total of 521 patients (pts) with HR+/HER2– ABC who had progressed on prior endocrine therapy were randomized 2:1 to PAL (125 mg/d orally, 3/1 week schedule) + FUL (500 mg intramuscular injection) or PBO+FUL. Investigator-assessed PFS was the primary endpoint; OS was a key secondary endpoint. An ad hoc OS analysis was performed when 393 events (75% of the total population) were observed. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis was conducted among pts who consented for this study. Results: Improvement in OS continues to be observed with longer follow-up, with a hazard ratio of 0.806 (95% CI, 0.654–0.994; 1-sided nominal P=0.0221). The 5-year OS rate was 23.3% (95% CI, 18.7–28.2) with PAL+FUL and 16.8% (95% CI, 11.2–23.3) with PBO+FUL. Favorable OS with PAL+FUL vs PBO+FUL was observed in most subgroups except among pts who were endocrine resistant or had prior chemotherapy for ABC. No new safety signals were identified. Eighteen pts remain on study treatment, including 15 (4.3%) on PAL+FUL and 3 (1.7%) on PBO+FUL. A post-study cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor was received by 20 pts (7.5%) in the PAL+FUL arm and 32 pts (22.2%) in the PBO+FUL arm. ctDNA analyses of tumor mutation profiles (ie, ESR1, PIK3CA, RB1) at the end of treatment and their effect on OS will also be presented. Conclusions: The clinically meaningful improvement in OS with PAL+FUL was maintained with >6 years of median follow-up in pts with HR+/HER2– ABC who had progressed on prior endocrine treatment. Pfizer (NCT01942135) Clinical trial information: NCT01942135 .[Table: see text]

Impact of duration of prior cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) therapy on alpelisib (ALP) benefit in patients (pts) with hormone receptor–positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2–negative (HER2–), PIK3CA-mutated advanced breast cancer (ABC) from BYLieve

1060

Background: Mutations in PIK3CA (encoding PI3Kα) are present in ̃40% of HR+, HER2– ABC tumors and are associated with relative endocrine resistance and poor prognosis. ALP inhibits and degrades PI3Kα. Primary analyses of Cohorts A and B from the phase 2 BYLieve study demonstrated that ALP + endocrine therapy (ET; fulvestrant [FUL] or letrozole [LET]) is effective and safe in pts with HR+, HER2– PIK3CA-mutated ABC with prior CDK4/6i therapy. Here, we evaluate if duration of prior CDK4/6i-based therapy impacts benefit of ALP + ET in these 2 cohorts. Methods: Cohorts A and B of BYLieve included pre/postmenopausal women who received CDK4/6i + AI or FUL, respectively, as immediate prior therapy. Cohort A received ALP 300 mg PO QD + FUL 500 mg IM Q28D + C1D15; Cohort B received ALP 300 mg PO QD + LET 2.5 mg PO QD. Within each cohort, pts were divided into 2 subgroups per duration of prior CDK4/6i therapy (“high”/”low,” above/below median duration of therapy) and the association of progression-free survival (PFS) with this covariate was analyzed using stratified log-rank test and Cox PH model. This analysis included pts for whom duration of prior CDK4/6i therapy was known, and efficacy was assessed in pts with centrally confirmed PIK3CA mutation in tumor tissue. Results: Of the 126 pts in Cohort A with duration of prior CDK4/6i available, 120 had centrally confirmed PIK3CA-mutated disease; 60 were exposed to CDK4/6i for > 380 days (high) and 60 for < 380 days (low), with similar demographics/disease characteristics between subgroups. There was no significant difference in PFS between the high vs low subgroups (HR 1.03; 95% CI, 0.64-1.64; P= 0.927; median 8.0 vs 7.0 mo). Grade ≥3 adverse events (AEs) were experienced by 66.9% (n = 85) of all pts in Cohort A and 66.7% (n = 42)/68.3% (n = 43) in the high/low subgroups, respectively. Of the 123 pts in Cohort B with duration of prior CDK4/6i available, 113 had centrally confirmed PIK3CA-mutated disease; 57 were exposed to CDK4/6i for > 305 days (high) and 56 for < 305 days (low), with similar demographics/disease characteristics between subgroups. There was no significant difference in PFS between high vs low subgroups (HR 1.20; 95% CI, 0.78-1.84; P= 0.400; median 5.4 vs 5.9 mo). Grade ≥3 AEs were experienced by 69.8% (n = 88) of all pts in Cohort B and 71.0% (n = 44)/68.9% (n = 42) in the high/low subgroups, respectively. Conclusions: This analysis demonstrates that the benefit and safety profiles of ALP + ET are similar in pts with HR+, HER2– PIK3CA-mutated ABC who achieved relatively shorter duration of disease control with prior CDK4/6i vs those with longer duration of disease control, and suggests that ALP overcomes acquired resistance to CDK4/6i in these pts. Clinical trial information: NCT03056755 .

Subgroup of post-neoadjuvant luminal-B tumors assessed by HTG in PENELOPE-B investigating palbociclib in high risk HER2-/HR+ breast cancer with residual disease

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Background: About one third of patients with hormone-receptor-positive (HR+), HER2‐ primary breast cancer with residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy will relapse despite adjuvant endocrine therapy. Therapeutic inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK 4/6) by palbociclib combined with endocrine therapy demonstrated highly relevant efficacy in metastatic breast cancer. The phase III PENELOPE-B (NCT01864746) study did not show a significant benefit from palbociclib in women with centrally confirmed HR+, HER2- primary breast cancer without a pathological complete response after taxane‐containing neoadjuvant chemotherapy and at high-risk of relapse (CPS‐EG score ≥3 or 2 and ypN+) for the primary endpoint (Loibl et al. JCO 2021). Methods: After completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and locoregional therapy, PENELOPE-B patients were randomized (1:1) to receive 13 cycles (1 year) of palbociclib 125mg daily or placebo on days 1-21 in a 28d cycle in addition to standard endocrine therapy. Analysis of the primary endpoint of invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) was planned after 290 events. Secondary objective included iDFS in luminal-B group by treatment. Gene expression in post-neoadjuvant surgical residual tumor tissue samples was profiled using the HTG EdgeSeq Oncology Biomarker Panel targeting 2559 genes (HTG Molecular Diagnostics Inc.). Based on 91 genes of this panel the AIMS subtype (Paquet & Hallett, JNCI 2014) was calculated. Results: Gene expressions were measured in tumors from 906 of 1250 (72%) PENELOPE-B patients; 663 had LumA subtype, 64 LumB, 135 NormL, 16 BasalL, and 28 HER2E. Compared to LumA the LumB patients were older, had higher post-neoadjuvant Ki-67, higher risk status (CPS-EG), and higher grade; no significant correlation was found for the region of participating sites, cT, ypT, and ypN. Patients with LumB tumors had an estimated 3-year iDFS of 71.9% with palbociclib vs 44.8% with placebo HR = 0.50 (0.24-1.05); outcome was similar in patients with LumA tumors (3-year iDFS 83.9% vs 79.5%, HR = 0.93 (0.68-1.28), interaction p = 0.132); this was confirmed in multivariable analyses. Ki-67 by IHC and proliferation biomarkers from the HTG panel also showed no significant interaction with treatment. Conclusions: PENELOPE-B did not show a benefit from the addition of 1 year palbociclib to endocrine therapy compared to placebo in the total enrolled high-risk primary breast cancer population. However, the small group of luminal-B tumors (n = 64) derived benefit from palbociclib, although without a statistically significant interaction. Further investigation is required in a larger cohort to validate a palbociclib benefit that might be confined to this group.

Impact of timing of adjuvant chemothapy for early breast cancer: the Royal Marsden Hospital experience

BACKGROUND

The optimal time to deliver adjuvant chemotherapy has not been defined.

METHODS

A retrospective study of consecutive patients receiving adjuvant anthracycline and/or taxane 1993-2010. Primary endpoint included 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) in patients commencing chemotherapy <31 versus ≥31 days after surgery. Secondary endpoints included 5-year overall survival (OS) and sub-group analysis by receptor status.

RESULTS

We identified 2003 eligible patients: 1102 commenced chemotherapy <31 days and 901 ≥31 days after surgery. After a median follow-up of 115 months, there was no difference in 5-year DFS rate with chemotherapy <31 compared to ≥31 days after surgery in the overall population (81 versus 82% hazard ratio (HR) 1.15, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.92-1.43, p = 0.230). The 5-year OS rate was similar in patients who received chemotherapy <31 or ≥31 days after surgery (90 versus 91%, (HR 1.21, 95% CI 0.89-1.64, p = 0.228). For 250 patients with triple-negative breast cancer OS was significantly worse in patients who received chemotherapy ≥31 versus <31 days (HR = 2.18, 95% CI 1.11-4.30, p = 0.02).

DISCUSSION

Although adjuvant chemotherapy ≥31 days after surgery did not affect DFS or OS in the whole study population, in TN patients, chemotherapy ≥31 days after surgery significantly reduced 5-year OS; therefore, delays beyond 30 days in this sub-group should be avoided.

persevERA Breast Cancer (BC): Phase III study evaluating the efficacy and safety of giredestrant (GDC-9545) + palbociclib versus letrozole + palbociclib in patients (pts) with estrogen-receptor-positive, HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic BC (ER+/HER2– LA/mBC)

TPS1103

Background: Modulating estrogen synthesis and/or ER activity is the mainstay of treatment for pts with ER+ BC. Despite substantial progress, many pts experience relapse during/after adjuvant endocrine therapy. However, even though resistant to aromatase inhibitors (AIs) or tamoxifen, growth and survival of the majority of tumors are thought to remain dependent on ER signaling. Therefore, pts with ER+ BC can still respond to second- or third-line endocrine treatment after progression on prior therapy (Di Leo 2010; Baselga 2012). Therapeutic resistance can arise from mutations in ESR1, which can drive estrogen-independent transcription and proliferation. The highly potent, non-steroidal oral selective ER degrader giredestrant achieves robust ER occupancy and is active regardless of ESR1 mutation status. Phase I data indicate that giredestrant is well tolerated, with encouraging activity as a single agent and in combination with the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib (Lim 2020). Single-agent activity was observed after prior treatment with fulvestrant and/or a CDK4/6 inhibitor (Jhaveri 2019). Methods: persevERA BC (NCT04546009) is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, multicenter phase III study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of first-line giredestrant + palbociclib in pts with ER+/HER2– LA/mBC. Randomization: 1:1 to either giredestrant (30 mg PO) plus letrozole placebo QD or letrozole (2.5 mg PO) plus giredestrant placebo QD on Days 1–28 of each 28-day cycle, with palbociclib (125 mg PO QD) on Days 1–21 of each 28-day cycle. Men and premenopausal women will receive an LHRH agonist. Eligibility: females or males ≥18 years old with measurable disease or evaluable bone disease and no prior treatment for advanced disease. Pts who received prior fulvestrant or who have relapsed within 12 months of completion of (neo)adjuvant therapy with an AI and/or prior therapy with CDK4/6 inhibitor are not eligible; relapse during tamoxifen therapy but > 24 months after the start of tamoxifen therapy is allowed. Stratification: site of disease, disease-free interval since the end of (neo)adjuvant therapy, menopausal status, and geographic region. Primary efficacy endpoint: progression-free survival (determined locally by the investigator per RECIST v1.1). Secondary endpoints include overall survival, objective response rate, duration of response, clinical benefit rate, QoL, and safety. Enrollment is open (first patient in: Oct 9, 2020); target recruitment is 978 pts across all sites in a global enrollment phase. After completion of the global enrollment, additional pts may be enrolled in China. Clinical trial information: NCT04546009 .

Safety and activity of single-agent giredestrant (GDC-9545) from a phase Ia/b study in patients (pts) with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+), HER2-negative locally advanced/metastatic breast cancer (LA/mBC)

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Background: Targeting ER activity and/or E synthesis is a mainstay of ER+ BC treatment, but many pts relapse during/after adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) or develop resistance via ESR1 mutations that drive E-independent transcription and proliferation. Most tumors remain ER signaling-dependent and pts may respond to second-/third-line ET after disease progression (PD) on prior therapies (Di Leo 2010; Baselga 2012). Giredestrant, a highly potent, nonsteroidal oral selective ER degrader, achieves robust ER occupancy, is active despite ESR1 mutations, and was well tolerated ± palbociclib with encouraging antitumor activity in the nonrandomized, open-label, dose-escalation and -expansion, phase Ia/b GO39932 study (NCT03332797; Jhaveri 2019; Lim 2020). We present updated interim data from the dose-escalation and -expansion single-agent giredestrant cohorts. Methods: Pts had ≤2 prior therapies in the LA/mBC setting with disease recurrence/PD while being treated with adjuvant ET for ≥24 mo and/or ET in the LA/mBC setting, and derived a clinical benefit (CB) from therapy (tumor response/stable disease [SD] ≥6 mo). Pts received 10, 30, 90/100, or 250 mg PO giredestrant QD on D1–28 of each 28-day cycle. Pts were postmenopausal (medical menopause on LHRH agonists was allowed with ≥100 mg giredestrant). Results: Clinical cutoff: Jul 31, 2020; median prior therapy lines in the LA/mBC setting: 1; mean dose intensity: 98%. Safety/activity: see the table below. No adverse events (AEs) led to study drug withdrawal. No dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) occurred; maximum tolerated dose was not reached. Most common AEs in 107 pts: fatigue (22; 21%), arthralgia (18; 17%), and nausea (17; 16%); largely grade 1/2. Related grade 3 AEs were infrequent (5; 5%); none were grade 4/5 per investigator assessment (grade 5 duodenal perforation occurred with 90/100 mg after stopping giredestrant due to PD). 8 (7%) had bradycardia (none with 10 mg or the 30 mg phase 3 dose; all grade 1 except one grade 2 at 250 mg; no treatment interruptions/dose reductions were required). Objective responses and CB were observed at all doses. Conclusions: Single-agent giredestrant was well tolerated at all doses, with no DLTs. AEs were generally low grade and in keeping with expected AEs for ETs. Clinical activity was observed at all doses. Updated data, including biomarker and correlative data, will be presented. Clinical trial information: NCT03332797 .[Table: see text]

Genomic profile of advanced breast cancer in circulating tumour DNA

The genomics of advanced breast cancer (ABC) has been described through tumour tissue biopsy sequencing, although these approaches are limited by geographical and temporal heterogeneity. Here we use plasma circulating tumour DNA sequencing to interrogate the genomic profile of ABC in 800 patients in the plasmaMATCH trial. We demonstrate diverse subclonal resistance mutations, including enrichment of HER2 mutations in HER2 positive disease, co-occurring ESR1 and MAP kinase pathway mutations in HR + HER2- disease that associate with poor overall survival (p = 0.0092), and multiple PIK3CA mutations in HR + disease that associate with short progression free survival on fulvestrant (p = 0.0036). The fraction of cancer with a mutation, the clonal dominance of a mutation, varied between genes, and within hotspot mutations of ESR1 and PIK3CA. In ER-positive breast cancer subclonal mutations were enriched in an APOBEC mutational signature, with second hit PIK3CA mutations acquired subclonally and at sites characteristic of APOBEC mutagenesis. This study utilises circulating tumour DNA analysis in a large clinical trial to demonstrate the subclonal diversification of pre-treated advanced breast cancer, identifying distinct mutational processes in advanced ER-positive breast cancer, and novel therapeutic opportunities.

Long-Term Pooled Safety Analysis of Palbociclib in Combination with Endocrine Therapy for Hormone Receptor-Positive/Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Negative Advanced Breast Cancer: Updated Analysis with up to 5 Years of Follow-Up

Background

Previous studies demonstrated the tolerability of palbociclib plus endocrine therapy (ET). This analysis evaluated safety based on more recent cutoff dates and a longer palbociclib treatment exposure.

Patients and Methods

Data were pooled from three randomized studies of patients with hormone receptor‐positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2‐negative (HR+/HER2−) advanced breast cancer (ABC), including postmenopausal women who had not received prior systemic treatment for advanced disease (PALOMA‐1/‐2) and pre‐ and postmenopausal women who had progressed on prior ET (PALOMA‐3).

Results

Updated cutoff dates were December 21, 2017 (PALOMA‐1), May 31, 2017 (PALOMA‐2), and April 13, 2018 (PALOMA‐3). Total person‐years of treatment exposure were 1,421.6 with palbociclib plus ET (n = 872) and 528.4 with ET (n = 471). Any‐grade neutropenia and infections were more frequent with palbociclib plus ET (82.1% and 59.2%, respectively) than with ET (5.1% and 39.5%). The hazard ratios were 1.6 (p = .0995) for grade 3/4 infections, 1.8 (p = .4358) for grade 3/4 viral infections, 1.4 (p = .0001) for infections, and 30.8 (p < .0001) for neutropenia. Febrile neutropenia was reported in 1.4% of patients receiving palbociclib plus ET. Cumulative incidence of all‐grade hematologic adverse events in both arms peaked during the first year of treatment and plateaued over the 5 subsequent years. Interstitial lung disease was reported in 13 patients receiving palbociclib plus ET and 3 receiving ET.

Conclusion

This 5‐year, long‐term analysis demonstrated that palbociclib plus ET has a consistent and stable safety profile and is a safe treatment for patients with HR+/HER2− ABC.

Implications for Practice

Several treatments for patients with breast cancer are associated with long‐term or latent adverse events. This long‐term, 5‐year analysis demonstrated that palbociclib plus endocrine therapy has a consistent and stable safety profile without cumulative or delayed toxicities. These results further support palbociclib plus endocrine therapy as a safe and manageable treatment in clinical practice for patients with hormone receptor‐positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2‐negative advanced breast cancer.

This updated analysis based on data pooled from the three PALOMA studies is the largest long‐term analysis, to date, of the safety of a CDK4/6 inhibitor in combination with endocrine therapy for the treatment of advanced breast cancer.

Understanding divergent trial results of adjuvant CDK4/6 inhibitors for early stage breast cancer

CDK4/6 inhibitors have transformed the treatment of metastatic estrogen-receptor-positive HER2-negative breast cancer, with efficacy found consistently for three different inhibitors. Recent adjuvant trials of CDK4/6 inhibitors in early stage breast cancer have produced discordant results, shedding light on their clinical utility and future trial design.

Circulating Tumor DNA Markers for Early Progression on Fulvestrant With or Without Palbociclib in ER+ Advanced Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND

There are no established molecular biomarkers for patients with breast cancer receiving combination endocrine and CDK4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i). We aimed to determine whether genomic markers in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can identify patients at higher risk of early progression on fulvestrant therapy with or without palbociclib, a CDK4/6i.

METHODS

PALOMA-3 was a phase III, multicenter, double-blind randomized controlled trial of palbociclib plus fulvestrant (n = 347) vs placebo plus fulvestrant (n = 174) in patients with endocrine-pretreated estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. Pretreatment plasma samples from 459 patients were analyzed for mutations in 17 genes, copy number in 14 genes, and circulating tumor fraction. Progression-free survival (PFS) was compared in patients with circulating tumor fraction above or below a prespecified cutoff of 10% and with or without a specific genomic alteration. All statistical tests were 2-sided.

RESULTS

Patients with high ctDNA fraction had worse PFS on both palbociclib plus fulvestrant (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17 to 2.24; P = .004) and placebo plus fulvestrant (HR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.21 to 2.59; P = .004). In multivariable analysis, high-circulating tumor fraction was associated with worse PFS (HR = 1.20 per 10% increase in tumor fraction, 95% CI = 1.09 to 1.32; P < .001), as was TP53 mutation (HR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.27 to 2.65; P = .001) and FGFR1 amplification (HR = 2.91, 95% CI = 1.61 to 5.25; P < .001). No interaction with treatment randomization was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Pretreatment ctDNA identified a group of high-risk patients with poor clinical outcome despite the addition of CDK4/6 inhibition. These patients might benefit from inclusion in future trials of escalating treatment, with therapies that may be active in these genomic contexts.