Long-Term Cardiac Safety and Survival Outcomes of Neoadjuvant Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin in Elderly Patients or Prone to Cardiotoxicity and Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Final Results of the Multicentre Phase II CAPRICE Study

Background

The CAPRICE trial was designed to specifically evaluate neoadjuvant pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) in elderly patients or in those with other cardiovascular risk factors in whom conventional doxorubicin was contraindicated. The primary analysis of the study showed a pathological complete response (pCR) of 32% and no significant decreases in LVEF during chemotherapy. Here, we report important secondary study objectives: 5-year cardiac safety, disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS) and breast cancer specific survival (BCSS).

Methods

In this multicentre, single-arm, phase II trial, elderly patients or those prone to cardiotoxicity and high risk stage II-IIIB breast cancer received PLD (35 mg/m²) plus cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m²) every 4 weeks for 4 cycles, followed by paclitaxel for 12 weeks as neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) monitorization, electrocardiograms and cardiac questionnaires were performed at baseline, during treatment and at 9, 16, 28 and 40 weeks thereafter. The primary endpoint was pCR and 5-year cardiac safety, DFS, BCSS and OS were also analyzed.

Results

Between Oct 2007, and Jun 2010, 50 eligible patients were included. Median age was 73 (35-84) years, 84% were older than 65; 64% of patients suffered from hypertension, and 10% had prior cardiac disease. Most of tumors (88%) were triple negative. No significant decreases in LVEF were observed. The mean baseline LVEF was 66.6% (52-86) and after a median follow-up of 5 years, mean LVEF was 66 (54.5-73). For intention to treat population, 5-year DFS was 50% (95% CI 40.2-68.1) and 5-year OS was 56% (95%CI 41.2-68.4). There were 8 non-cancer related deaths, achieving a 5 years BCSS of 67.74% (CI 95%:54.31%- 81.18%).

Conclusion

At 5-year follow-up, this PLD-based NAC regimen continued to be cardiac-safe and effective in a population of very high-risk breast cancer patients. This scheme should be considered as an option in elderly patients or in those with other risks of developing cardiotoxicity.

Trial Registration Number

ClinicalTrials.gov reference NCT00563953.

Abstract OT3-02-05: CORALLEEN: A phase 2 clinical trial of chemotherapy or letrozole plus ribociclib as neoadjuvant treatment for postmenopausal patients with luminal B/HER2-negative breast cancer

Background: Dysregulation of cyclin D-CDK4/6-Rb pathway is associated with endocrine resistance in hormone receptor–positive (HR+) breast cancer. Recently, a CDK4/6 inhibitor has shown unprecedented efficacy in metastatic disease, leading to its regulatory approval. Several others are currently in clinical development for the management of HR+ breast cancer in the early and advanced settings. However, it is vital to gain insights into the molecular and biological effects of this class of agents and could identify patients who can benefit the most, delaying or avoiding the use of chemotherapy.The neoadjuvant setting provides an ideal scenario to carry out these investigations. Hence, we propose to conduct an exploratory study to evaluate the biological effects and the efficacy of ribociclib in patients with primary luminal B tumors. We hypothesize that the combination of ribociclib plus letrozole may offer clinical benefit in the preoperative setting. Methods: This is a parallel, multicenter, two-arm, randomized exploratory study in postmenopausal women with primary operable HR+/HER2-negative Luminal B breast cancer designed to evaluate the clinical benefit of ribociclib plus letrozole. Eligibility includes stage I-III operable breast cancer, Luminal B by PAM50, ECOG 0-1. They will be randomized 1:1 to receive either six 28-days cycles of ribociclib (600mg; 3-weeks-on/1-week-off) plus daily letrozole (2.5mg) or chemotherapy: four cycles of AC (doxorubicin 60 mg/m2, cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 every 21 days) followed by weekly paclitaxel during 12 weeks. Baseline, Day 15 on-treatment, and surgical specimens will be collected for molecular characterization and evaluation of response (decrease in Ki67, change to ROR low disease) The primary endpoint is the rate of Residual Cancer Burden (RCB) per MD Anderson Cancer Center procedures. A rate of RCB 0 and 1 score at surgery, with a rank between 20% to 25% with 47 evaluable patients by group of treatment will offer a precision between 11.5% and 12.4%, respectively (95%CI). Ninety-four patients will be enrolled in 21 sites across Spain. The trial was activated in July 2017. As of June 2018, 78 patients have been recruited.

Citation Format: Gavila J, Saura C, Oliveira M, Ciruelos E, Gonzalez X, de la Peña L, Bermejo de las Heras B, Muñoz M, Fernandez P, Villagrasa P, Ortega V, Lopez R, Celiz P, Pascual T, Prat A. CORALLEEN: A phase 2 clinical trial of chemotherapy or letrozole plus ribociclib as neoadjuvant treatment for postmenopausal patients with luminal B/HER2-negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr OT3-02-05.

BRCA1, RAP80, and AEG-1 mRNA expression in resectable muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients (p) treated with neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy

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Background: Cystectomy remains the standard treatment in MIBC and only a minority of p are treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, suggesting that predictive markers of chemotherapy outcome are needed. Low BRCA1 mRNA expression is associated with an improvement in survival in bladder cancer p treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy. However, BRCA1 function can be modulated by other DNA repair genes. RAP80 is required for the accumulation of BRCA1 to sites of DNA breaks, and cells depleted of RAP80 exhibit hypersensitivity to irradiation. AEG-1 can induce BRCA1 expression and cause chemoresistance. Methods: Paraffin-embedded pre-treatment tumor samples were collected by transurethral resection from 65 p with resectable MIBC stage T2-4N0M0 treated with neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Gene expression levels of BRCA1, RAP80 and AEG-1 were quantified by real-time quantitative PCR. Expression levels were divided into terciles and correlated with median survival (MS). Results: 33 p were treated with cisplatin, methotrexate and vinblastine (CMV) and 32 p with cisplatin and gemcitabine. Chemotherapy was followed by cystectomy in 60 p. Overall MS was not reached and 5-year survival was 51%. MS was 45 months (m) and 5-year survival was 27% in 21 p with high BRCA1 mRNA levels vs 168 m and 59% in 44 p with low and intermediate levels (p=0.05). MS was 50 m in 15 p with high AEG-1 levels, 45 m in 15 p with intermediate levels, and was not reached in 18 p with low levels, although these differences were not statistically significant (p=0.3). No differences in MS were observed according to RAP80 mRNA levels. Conclusions: BRCA1 can be a useful marker to predict the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy should be recommended in p with low/intermediate BRCA1 expression. Further studies with larger numbers of p are warranted to elucidate the role of AEG-1 in this setting.

BRCA1 mRNA expression and outcome to neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy in bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

neoadjuvant chemotherapy has shown a modest benefit in muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients; however, the subset of patients most likely to benefit has not been identified. BRCA1 plays a central role in DNA repair pathways and low BRCA1 expression has been associated with sensitivity to cisplatin and longer survival in lung and ovarian cancer patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

we assessed BRCA1 messenger RNA expression levels in paraffin-embedded pre-treatment tumor samples obtained by transurethral resection from 57 patients with locally advanced bladder cancer subsequently treated with neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy. BRCA1 levels were divided into terciles and correlated with pathological response and survival.

RESULTS

a significant pathological response (pT0-1) was attained in 66% (24 of 39) of patients with low/intermediate BRCA1 levels compared with 22% (4 of 18) of patients with high BRCA1 levels (P = 0.01). Median survival was 168 months in patients with low/intermediate levels and 34 months in patients with high BRCA1 levels (P = 0.002). In the multivariate analysis for survival, only BRCA1 expression levels and lymphovascular invasion emerged as independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS

our data suggest that BRCA1 expression may predict the efficacy of cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy and may help to customize therapy in bladder cancer patients.

Correlation between anemia before treatment with survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

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Background: Prognostic factors identified in advanced non small cell lung cancer are: age, gender, PS, h. SWOG univariable analysis in patients with chemotheraphy; confirmed these factors and show a relationship between the hemoglobin level and the overall survival; in addition the metastasic site number and cisplatin- based chemotheraphy (7). To analyse and compare the hemoglobin level before cisplatin- based chemotheraphy with survival in patients with advanced non- small cell lung cancer. Methods: Retrospective study conducted at the IONC of the 179 clinical record were analized, over a 5 year period. The collected data were: age, gender, PS, histologic type, stage, chemotheraphy cycles number, smooke history, number and metastasic site. We analyzed median and overal survival using Kaplan Meier, and the anemia as a prognostic implication factor with univariable and multivariable Cox regression analysis. Istologic type and TNM (1–6). Results: The mean age was 59 (40–79); 146 (81.5%) male and 33 (18.5%) women; histological types found were squamous cell carcinomas in 66 (37%), and adenocarcinoma in 113 (63%); stage IIIB in 61 (34%) and IV in 118 (66%). 147 (82%) were smokers and 32 (18%) were never smokers. All the patients had PS 0–1. Median overall survival time was 11.53 months and 13.88 months in the haemoglobin level < or > 11 gr/ 100 ml, respectively. (p=0.3). In univariable Cox regression analysis, smoking rates and chemotheraphy cycles number were predictors of survival (p=0.05 y p=0.018, respectively). Hemoglobine (p=0.55). In multivariable Cox regression analysis, only the number of cycles was predictor of survival (p=0.026). Hemoglobine (p=0.34). Conclusions: In our experience, a greater survival tendency was observed in patients with advanced non- small cell lung cancer who presented levels of Hemoglobine greater than 11 gr/dl, previous to cisplatin- based chemotherapy without statistical significance.

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Relation between vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) in tumor sample and response rate in patients with cervical cancer treated with chemo-radiotherapy

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Background: The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and their receptors play a fundamental role in the regulation of the angiogenesis and linfoangiogenesis. This study examined the relation between levels of expression of the VEGFR with the rate of response in patients (pts) with cervical cancer treated with chemo-radiotherapy-brachytherapy with cisplatinum. Methods: Clinical records of 30 women with their pathology were analyzed. The expression of the VEGFR was evaluated by inmunohistochemestry (IHQ-) by a pathologists committee and It was classified in 4 categories according percentage of tumor cells cytoplasm marked: 0 = 0% / 1=< 25% / 2=<26%-50% and 3 = > 50%. In order to correlate the VEGFR expression with response rate, patients were classified in 2 groups: lower level of expression (VEGFR 0–1), and high level of expression (VEGFR 2–3). In a second analysis we discriminated those with VEGFR expression 3 ant the rest of the group. The evaluation of the tumor response was made by clinical examination and magnetic nuclear resonance (RNM). We used Fisher exact test for statistical analysis Results: Median age: 47 years (r: 27 - 69). Pts with VEGFR 0 =2 (6.66%) pt with 1,2,3 VEGFR =28 (93.33%)(p:<0,001) . Objective respnse rate (OR) in pts with low expression of VEGFR was 90.9%, OR rate for pts with high levels of expression VEGFR was 56.97% (p: 0,52). The OR rate for pts with VEGFR 3 OR was 28.57% and for pats with VEGFR 0,1,2 was 69.56% (p:0,035) Conclusions: We observed that 93.33% of pts expresed VEGFR. OR rate was higher among pts. with lower expression compared with pts. of higher level of expression. These results, although in a small group of patients, stimulate investigation of anti angiogenic therapies in cervical cancer.

[Table: see text]