Project description:Abstract Background. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a targetable molecule in basal-like breast cancer, which comprises most “triple negative” breast cancer (TNBC), the only breast cancer subtype without established targeted therapy. Methods. In this randomized phase II trial, metastatic TNBC patients received the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab (250mg/kg/week iv) with carboplatin (AUC2/wk iv) added on progression, or concomitant cetuximab + carboplatin. Molecular subtyping was done on archival specimens and those with accessible tumors provided fresh tissue, before and after 7-14 days of therapy, for microarray analyses to explore EGFR pathway inhibition. Results. Of 102 TNBC patients 74% were of the basal-like molecular subtype. Response rate to cetuximab was 6% (2/31), and was 16% (4/25) to cetuximab + carboplatin after progression. Upfront cetuximab + carboplatin produced responses in 17% (12/71); 31% responded or had prolonged disease stabilization. Time to progression was 2.1 months (95% CI 1.8-5.5) and overall survival 10.4 months (95% CI 7.7-13.1) for those treated with the combination regimen. Among 16 patients with evaluable serial biopsies, genomic patterns of the EGFR pathway showed activated status in 13 and inhibition by therapy in 5. Conclusions. While most TNBC were basal-like, a significant proportion were different subtypes. The aggressive nature of metastatic TNBC leads to limited survival. Despite a promising preclinical rationale and evidence of EGFR pathway activation in most, targeted treatment with cetuximab as a single agent had marginal activity and cetuximab added to carboplatin demonstrated modest activity. Serial biopsies as part of metastatic breast cancer studies are feasible, and this study confirmed that the EGFR pathway was inhibited by therapy in only a minority suggesting ligand-independent activation in most tumors. Tissue acquisition and drug selection based upon individualized pathway activation status should be an important part of future studies of TNBC. This series contains 36 microarrays that are from 18 patients with fresh frozen tissue available from the metastatic site. Pretreatment samples (Bx0) are available for two patients. Pretreatment and post single agent treatment (7-14 days after start of treatment with cetuximab; BxSingle) are available for three patients. Pretreatment and post combination treatment (7-14 days after start of treatment with cetuximab plus carboplatin; BxCombo) are available for eight patients. Two patients have a pretreatment sample, a sample after 7-14 days of treatment with single agent cetuximab, and a third sample 7-14 days on cetuximab plus carboplatin after switching to the combination arm upon progression on the single agent arm. Samples were hybridized with Stratagene common reference spiked with RNA from two breast cancer cell lines (ME16C and MCF-7) on Custom 1x44K Agilent microarrays. Arrays were scanned on an Axon 4000B scanner and analyzed with GenePix Pro software.

Project description:Abstract Background. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a targetable molecule in basal-like breast cancer, which comprises most “triple negative” breast cancer (TNBC), the only breast cancer subtype without established targeted therapy. Methods. In this randomized phase II trial, metastatic TNBC patients received the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab (250mg/kg/week iv) with carboplatin (AUC2/wk iv) added on progression, or concomitant cetuximab + carboplatin. Molecular subtyping was done on archival specimens and those with accessible tumors provided fresh tissue, before and after 7-14 days of therapy, for microarray analyses to explore EGFR pathway inhibition. Results. Of 102 TNBC patients 74% were of the basal-like molecular subtype. Response rate to cetuximab was 6% (2/31), and was 16% (4/25) to cetuximab + carboplatin after progression. Upfront cetuximab + carboplatin produced responses in 17% (12/71); 31% responded or had prolonged disease stabilization. Time to progression was 2.1 months (95% CI 1.8-5.5) and overall survival 10.4 months (95% CI 7.7-13.1) for those treated with the combination regimen. Among 16 patients with evaluable serial biopsies, genomic patterns of the EGFR pathway showed activated status in 13 and inhibition by therapy in 5. Conclusions. While most TNBC were basal-like, a significant proportion were different subtypes. The aggressive nature of metastatic TNBC leads to limited survival. Despite a promising preclinical rationale and evidence of EGFR pathway activation in most, targeted treatment with cetuximab as a single agent had marginal activity and cetuximab added to carboplatin demonstrated modest activity. Serial biopsies as part of metastatic breast cancer studies are feasible, and this study confirmed that the EGFR pathway was inhibited by therapy in only a minority suggesting ligand-independent activation in most tumors. Tissue acquisition and drug selection based upon individualized pathway activation status should be an important part of future studies of TNBC.

Project description:BackgroundPatients with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) have overall poor clinical outcomes, with triple-negative IBC (TN-IBC) being associated with the worst survival, warranting the investigation of novel therapies. Preclinical studies implied that ruxolitinib (RUX), a JAK1/2 inhibitor, may be an effective therapy for TN-IBC.MethodsWe conducted a randomized phase II study with nested window-of-opportunity in TN-IBC. Treatment-naïve patients received a 7-day run-in of RUX alone or RUX plus paclitaxel (PAC). After the run-in, those who received RUX alone proceeded to neoadjuvant therapy with either RUX + PAC or PAC alone for 12 weeks; those who had received RUX + PAC continued treatment for 12 weeks. All patients subsequently received 4 cycles of doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide prior to surgery. Research tumor biopsies were performed at baseline (pre-run-in) and after run-in therapy. Tumors were evaluated for phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3) by immunostaining, and a subset was also analyzed by RNA-seq. The primary endpoint was the percent of pSTAT3-positive pre-run-in tumors that became pSTAT3-negative. Secondary endpoints included pathologic complete response (pCR).ResultsOverall, 23 patients were enrolled, of whom 21 completed preoperative therapy. Two patients achieved pCR (8.7%). pSTAT3 and IL-6/JAK/STAT3 signaling decreased in post-run-in biopsies of RUX-treated samples, while sustained treatment with RUX + PAC upregulated IL-6/JAK/STAT3 signaling compared to RUX alone. Both treatments decreased GZMB+ T cells implying immune suppression. RUX alone effectively inhibited JAK/STAT3 signaling but its combination with PAC led to incomplete inhibition. The immune suppressive effects of RUX alone and in combination may negate its growth inhibitory effects on cancer cells.ConclusionIn summary, the use of RUX in TN-IBC was associated with a decrease in pSTAT3 levels despite lack of clinical benefit. Cancer cell-specific-targeting of JAK2/STAT3 or combinations with immunotherapy may be required for further evaluation of JAK2/STAT3 signaling as a cancer therapeutic target.Trial registrationwww.Clinicaltrialsgov , NCT02876302. Registered 23 August 2016.

Project description:Rapamycin acts synergistically with platinum agents to induce apoptosis and inhibit proliferation in breast cancer cell lines. Combination of everolimus also known as RAD001 (oral mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor) and carboplatin may have activity in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).The primary objective of this study was to determine clinical benefit rate (CBR), that is (complete remission (CR)?+?partial remission (PR)?+?stable disease (SD) lasting ?6 months) and the toxicity of everolimus/carboplatin in women with metastatic TNBC. Prior carboplatin was allowed. Treatment consisted of intravenous carboplatin area under the curve (AUC) 6 (later decreased to AUC 5 and subsequently to AUC 4) every 3 weeks with daily 5 mg everolimus.We enrolled 25 patients in this study. Median age was 58 years. There were one CR, six PRs, seven SDs and eight PDs (progression of disease). CBR was 36% (95% confidence interval (CI) 21.1 to 57.4%). One SD was achieved in a patient progressing on single agent carboplatin. The median progression free survival (PFS) was 3 months (95% CI 1.6 to 4.6 months) and overall survival (OS) was 16.6 months (95% CI 7.3 months to not reached). There were seven patients (28%) with???grade 3 thrombocytopenia; three (12%) with grade 3 neutropenia (no bleeding/febrile neutropenia) and one (4%) with grade 3 anemia. Greater hematological toxicity was seen in the first seven patients treated with carboplatin AUC5/6. After the amendment for starting dose of carboplatin to AUC 4, the regimen was well tolerated with only one out of 18 patients with grade 3 neutropenia and two patients with grade 3 thrombocytopenia. There was only one case of mucositis.Everolimus-carboplatin was efficacious in metastatic TNBC. Dose limiting hematological toxicity was observed when AUC5/6 of carboplatin was combined with everolimus. However, carboplatin AUC 4 was well tolerated in combination with everolimus with continuing responses.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01127763.

Dataset Information

TBCRC 001: randomized phase II study of cetuximab in combination with carboplatin in stage IV triple-negative breast cancer.

Publications

TBCRC 001: randomized phase II study of cetuximab in combination with carboplatin in stage IV triple-negative breast cancer.

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