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:This phase I/II neoadjuvant trial determined maximally-tolerated doses (MTD), dose-limiting toxicities (DLT), response-to-therapy, and explored the role of new response biomarkers. The combination regimens were delivered with acceptable toxicity, good clinical response, inducing changes in tumor RNA content and integrity. Pre-treatment gene expressions impacted clinical response, including several near 17q12, which with ERBB2, may better identify chemoresponsiveness. The NCIC Clinical Trials Group MA.22 phase I/II clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00066443) sought to determine the optimal dosing regimens for docetaxel/epirubicin combination chemotherapy in women with locally advanced (over 95% of patients) or inflammatory breast cancer. The protocol was approved by Health Canada and local Ethics Review Boards, and patients provided written, informed consent. Various doses of epirubicin and docetaxel were administered to patients in either a standard q3 weekly (Schedule A) or dose dense q2 weekly (Schedule B) regimen. Doses for Schedule A were 75 mg/m2 IV of docetaxel and 75, 90, 105, or 120 mg/m2 IV of epirubicin (with 6 mg of pegfilgrastim per cycle on day 2 to prevent neutropenia). Doses for both docetaxel and epirubicin in Schedule B were 50, 60, and 70 mg/m2 IV (with identical pegfilgrastim support). For each schedule, phase I was dose finding for phase II. Patients were allocated to the various phases and dosing regimens of the trial without randomization. None of the patients received trastuzumab in the initial years of the study and HER2+ patients were not enrolled on study, once trastuzumab funding became available. Six tumor biopsy cores were obtained pre-, mid-, and post-treatment: 3 cores for pathologic assessment; 3 cores for microarray studies. Total RNA was isolated from these cores and RNA integrity was assessed using Agilent Bioanalyzer. One of the RNA samples with the best quality was used for microarray study. One colour microarray of Agilent whole human genome nucleotide arrays was conducted with one array per patient. The current data set represents pre-treatment set. MA.22 clinical trial accrued T3N0, any N2 or N3, and T4 breast cancer patients (according to the classification described at; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2007112-overview). However, since the current study does not focus on the tumor grade/stage, the information was not provided in the current records.

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.

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Phase II trial of bi-weekly cetuximab for recurrent or metastatic colorectal cancer

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