Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes and Survival Outcomes in Early HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
In an analysis from the ShortHER trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Dieci et al identified 10-year outcomes with 9 weeks or 1 year of adjuvant trastuzumab plus chemotherapy according to level of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in patients with early HER2-positive breast cancer. Study Details...
Top Picks From SABCS 2024
Among the high-quality abstract presentations at the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), a few always stand out as particularly meritorious. Each year, The ASCO Post asks our Deputy Editor, breast cancer specialist Jame Abraham, MD, FACP, to give us his picks. Dr. Abraham is Chairman...
Evaluation of Surrogate Endpoints for Overall Survival in Neoadjuvant Randomized Trials in Early Breast Cancer
In a study reported in Journal of Clinical Oncology, Conforti et al found that invasive disease–free survival with sufficient follow-up may be the best surrogate for overall survival in neoadjuvant randomized trials in early breast cancer. Study Details The study involved 11 trials with 15...
Darolutamide in Triple-Negative, AR-Positive Advanced Breast Cancer
In a French phase II trial (UCBG 3-06 START) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Bonnefoi et al found that treatment with the antiandrogen darolutamide did not reach the clinical benefit endpoint in patients with triple-negative, androgen receptor (AR)-positive advanced breast cancer. Triple-negative...
Cryotherapy With Taxane Infusion: Strategy for Preventing Peripheral Neuropathy in Breast Cancer
In a meta-analysis reported in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, Kumar et al found that the use of cryotherapy decreased the incidence of moderate or worse peripheral neuropathy by more than 50% in patients with breast cancer who received paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel. Cryotherapy...
Racial, Ethnic Disparities in Diagnostic Procedures Following Abnormal Mammograms
Investigators may have uncovered racial and ethnic disparities in the receipt of same-day diagnostic services and biopsies following abnormal mammogram findings in spite of the similar availability of diagnostic technologies, according to a recent study published by Lawson et al in Radiology....
Annual vs Less Frequent Mammographic Surveillance in Breast Cancer Patients Aged ≥ 50 Years
In a UK phase III noninferiority trial (Mammo-50) reported in The Lancet, Dunn et al found that less frequent mammographic surveillance was noninferior to annual surveillance in outcomes among patients with breast cancer aged 50 years or older. Study Details In the multicenter trial, 5,235 women...
I’m a 2.0 Version of Myself After Cancer
Although there’s no history of breast cancer in my family, when I was 10, my pediatrician introduced me to breast self-exams, so I would become familiar with my breasts and learn to spot any unusual changes as I got older. I remember her telling me this was an especially important exercise to do...
Intratumoral Injection of mRNA-2752 and Pembrolizumab in High-Risk DCIS
In a single-institution phase I trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Ramalingam et al found that intratumoral injection of pembrolizumab and mRNA-2752 (a combination of interleukin [IL]-23, IL-36γ, and OX40L mRNAs) was active in patients with high-risk ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Study Details Ten ...
Weight Change and Heart Failure Risk After Breast Cancer Diagnosis
In a Republic of Korea nationwide cohort study reported as a research letter in JAMA Oncology, Jung et al found that weight increase following diagnosis of breast cancer was associated with increased risk of heart failure. Study Details The study used the National Health Insurance Service database...
Adjuvant T-DM1 vs Trastuzumab for Residual HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Overall Survival in KATHERINE
As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Geyer et al, interim analysis of overall survival in the phase III KATHERINE trial showed a significant benefit of ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) vs trastuzumab in patients with residual invasive HER2-positive breast cancer after neoadjuvant...
Pertuzumab Retreatment in HER2-Positive Locally Advanced/Metastatic Breast Cancer
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Yamamoto et al, the final overall survival analysis of the Japanese phase III PRECIOUS study showed a significant benefit with the addition of pertuzumab retreatment to trastuzumab plus physician’s choice of chemotherapy (PTC) in patients with...
Trends in Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Appalachia
Investigators have found that although fewer patients may be diagnosed with and dying from cancer in Appalachia, cancer incidence and mortality rates remain substantially higher compared with elsewhere in the United States, according to a recent study published by Burus et al in the Journal of the...
Survival Outcomes in Patients With ERBB2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer With CNS Involvement
In a retrospective cohort study from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, which was reported in JAMA Network Open, Ferraro et al found that patients with ERBB2 (formerly HER2 or HER2/neu)-positive breast cancer and central nervous system (CNS) metastases only vs concomitant extracranial...
Neoadjuvant Radiotherapy May Hamper Immunotherapy Response in Patients With Breast Cancer
Researchers have provided novel insights into the effects of radiation on the immune cells surrounding breast cancer tumors, according to a recent study published by Yoneyama et al in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics. The findings revealed that the relationship...
FDA Approves First Companion Diagnostic to Identify Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer Eligible for T-DXd
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a label expansion for the PATHWAY anti-HER2/neu (4B5) Rabbit Monoclonal Primary Antibody to identify patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-ultralow metastatic breast cancer who may be eligible for treatment with fam-trastuzumab...
Trastuzumab/Pertuzumab Plus Eribulin or Taxane in Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer
In a Japanese noninferiority phase III trial (EMERALD) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Yamashita et al found that the addition of eribulin to trastuzumab/pertuzumab (HP) was noninferior in progression-free survival vs the addition of a taxane to HP in the first-line treatment of...
Cancer Symptoms Mistaken for Pregnancy Symptoms Could Lead to Delays in Cancer Diagnosis
Misdiagnosing cancer symptoms as normal pregnancy-related changes among pregnant individuals could lead to delays in treatment, according to a recent study published by Marcu et al in the British Journal of General Practice. Study Methods and Results In the study, researchers recruited 20 women...
Does Brain MRI Surveillance Benefit Asymptomatic Patients With Stage IV Breast Cancer?
Researchers have found that asymptomatic brain metastases may be more common in patients with stage IV breast cancer than previously understood, according to a recent study published by Ahmed et al in Neuro-Oncology. The findings suggest that physicians may need to reconsider current screening...
CheckMate 7FL: Neoadjuvant Immunochemotherapy in ER-Positive, HER2-Negative Breast Cancer
A phase III trial has shown adding the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab to anthracycline- and taxane-based chemotherapy that patients receive ahead of surgery may improve breast cancer cure rates. CheckMate-7FL involved 510 patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer,...
T-DXd Approved by the FDA for Pretreated Patients With HER2-Low or -Ultralow Metastatic Breast Cancer
The antibody-drug conjugate fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (T-DXd) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-low (immunohistochemistry [IHC] 1+ or IHC 2+/in situ...
Some Patients With Low-Risk Ductal Carcinoma In Situ May Be Able to Avoid Surgery
Active monitoring appears to be a safe strategy for the management of some patients with low-risk ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), proving noninferior to guideline-concordant management of this patient population (ie, surgery with or without radiation therapy). After 2 years, the rate of invasive...
Imlunestrant Alone or With Abemaciclib: An All-Oral Targeted Therapy for ER-Positive Advanced Breast Cancer
The investigational next-generation oral selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) imlunestrant improved progression-free survival both as monotherapy in patients with ESR1 mutations and in combination with the CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib regardless of ESR1 mutational status in patients with...
Telephone-Based Therapy May Reduce Fatigue Interference With Functioning in Metastatic Breast Cancer Survivors
Telephone-delivered acceptance and commitment therapy may be effective in reducing the interference of fatigue with functioning and improving the quality of life among survivors of metastatic breast cancer, according to a recent study published by Mosher et al in the Journal of Clinical Oncology....
FDA Approves Datopotamab Deruxtecan-dlnk for Advanced HR-Positive, HER2-Negative Breast Cancer
On January 17, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved datopotamab deruxtecan-dlnk (Datroway), a TROP-2–directed antibody and topoisomerase inhibitor conjugate, for adult patients with unresectable or metastatic hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative (IHC 0, IHC1+, or...
Fulvestrant vs Anastrozole in Endocrine Therapy–Naive, HR-Positive, HER2-Negative Advanced Breast Cancer
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by John F.R. Robertson, PhD, and colleagues, the final overall survival analysis of the phase III FALCON trial showed no difference between fulvestrant vs anastrozole in patients with endocrine therapy–naive, hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative...
Adjuvant T-DM1 in Patients With HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Long-Term Results of the KATHERINE Trial
Adjuvant treatment with the antibody-drug conjugate ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) may improve survival in patients with high-risk HER2-positive breast cancer and residual invasive disease, according to long-term findings from the phase III KATHERINE trial published by Geyer et al in The New...
ECOG-ACRIN Breast Cancer Screening Trial Compares Standard vs Three-Dimensional Mammography
The Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (TMIST) has reached its enrollment goal of 108,508 women, as announced by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (ECOG-ACRIN). The study will now proceed with the completion of regularly scheduled mammograms and follow-up on all participants...
Potential of RAD51 Testing in Tailoring Treatment Strategies in Early Breast Cancer
The RAD51 biomarker may help to tailor treatment strategies in patients with early breast cancer, according to a recent study published by Villacampa et al in Clinical Cancer Research. Background “A key objective of research focused on early-stage breast cancer is to identify biomarkers that can...
Therapeutic De-escalation in Breast Cancer: Can Omitting Axillary Surgery Match Survival While Improving Patient Outcomes?
Omitting axillary surgery may be an option for some patients with early-stage breast cancer, according to a study reported by Reimer et al in The New England Journal of Medicine. Previous studies, such as the SOUND trial, have indicated that avoiding an axillary procedure in patients with small...
Adjuvant Tamoxifen Reduces 15-Year Risk of Recurrence in ‘Good Risk’ DCIS Without Radiation Therapy
Adjuvant tamoxifen was associated with a reduced risk of 15-year ipsilateral breast cancer recurrence as well as invasive ipsilateral breast cancer recurrence in patients with “good-risk” ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) who omitted radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery, according to a...
Adjuvant Dose-Dense vs Conventional Chemotherapy in Node-Positive Breast Cancer
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology by Filho et al, 12-year follow-up of the CALBG (Alliance) C9741 trial has shown a sustained advantage of adjuvant dose-dense vs conventional chemotherapy in disease-free and overall survival in patients with node-positive breast cancer. Study Details...
Improvements in BRCA2 Testing Could Enhance Cancer Risk Assessment, Patient Care
Researchers may have advanced the understanding of genetic alterations in the BRCA2 gene, according to a recent study published by Huang et al in Nature. The findings could improve the accuracy of genetic testing and allow health-care professionals to offer more precise risk assessments and...
OlympiA Trial: Long-Term Benefits of Olaparib Confirmed in High-Risk Subgroup of Breast Cancer
For women with high-risk, BRCA-positive breast cancer, 1 year of adjuvant treatment with the PARP inhibitor olaparib following primary treatment continued to improve overall survival compared with placebo, according to the third interim analysis of the phase III OlympiA trial presented at the 2024...
Benefit of Regular Physical Activity Prior to Cancer Diagnosis
Regular physical activity prior to a cancer diagnosis may be linked to a lower risk of disease progression and mortality, according to a recent study published by Mabena et al in British Journal of Sports Medicine. The findings revealed that even relatively low levels of physical activity may be...
Study Identifies Potential New Target to Overcome Breast Cancer Resistance
A new University of Cincinnati (UC) Cancer Center study has identified a particular strand of microRNA as a promising new target for overcoming breast cancer treatment resistance and improving outcomes. The research was recently published in the journal Cancers. Study Background Study author...
Addition of Palbociclib to Standard Therapy in Metastatic Hormone Receptor–Positive, HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
Addition of the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib to the current standard of care for first-line maintenance therapy after induction chemotherapy achieved statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in progression-free survival in patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive,...
Risk-Reducing Surgeries Improve Survival for Younger Patients With Breast Cancer Who Are BRCA Carriers, Study Finds
Patients with early-onset breast cancer (aged 40 or younger at diagnosis) who have BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants had improved overall survival by undergoing risk-reducing surgeries, including bilateral mastectomy and/or salpingo-oophorectomy, according to data...
HRQOL With Endocrine Therapy vs Radiotherapy After Breast-Conserving Surgery in Older Women With Luminal A–Like Early Breast Cancer
As reported in The Lancet Oncology by Meattini et al, interim analysis of the phase III EUROPA trial indicated that endocrine therapy was associated with poorer health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes vs radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery in women aged ≥ 70 years with luminal...
New Research Approaches to Metastatic Breast Cancer
Tumor cells circulating in the blood are the germ cells of breast cancer metastases. They are rare and could not be propagated in the culture dish until now. A team from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the Heidelberg Stem Cell Institute HI-STEM, and the NCT Heidelberg has now succeeded...
Novel Prognostic Tool in Hormone Receptor–Positive, HER2-Negative, Node-Positive Breast Cancer
As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Pusztai et al developed the RSClinN+ tool—an integration of the 21-gene Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score (RS) test and clinicopathologic factors (tumor grade, tumor size, age)—that improved prognosis for invasive disease–free survival vs RS alone...
Alpelisib Plus Fulvestrant in PIK3CA-Mutated, Hormone Receptor–Positive, HER2-Negative Advanced Breast Cancer After Previous Therapy
In a cohort of a phase II study (BYLieve) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Rugo et al found that the PI3Kα inhibitor alpelisib plus the hormone therapy fulvestrant showed activity in patients with PIK3CA-mutated, hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer after disease...
CBD May Not Reduce Scan-Related Anxiety in Patients With Advanced Breast Cancer
Cannabidiol (CBD) may not significantly change scan-related anxiety compared with placebo in patients with advanced breast cancer but may result in lower overall anxiety levels, according to a recent study published by Nayak et al in JAMA Network Open. Background Anxiety is common among adult...
Anthracyclines Plus Taxane-Based Chemotherapy for Certain Patients at High Risk for Breast Cancer Recurrence
Patients with early-stage, node-negative, hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer who have a high risk of recurrence based on the OncotypeDX genomic test had better outcomes when treated with adjuvant anthracycline plus taxane-based chemotherapy regimens compared with those...
Effectiveness of Multimodal Machine-Learning Model in Predicting Response to Treatment in Breast Cancer Subtype
A machine-learning model incorporating both clinical and genomic factors outperformed models based solely on either clinical or genomic data alone in predicting which patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer would have better outcomes from adding CDK4/6...
Learning From the ZEST Trial in Using ctDNA to Predict Breast Cancer Recurrence
The phase III ZEST clinical trial, designed to evaluate the PARP inhibitor niraparib for the prevention of breast cancer recurrence in patients with circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), failed to accrue enough patients positive for ctDNA, according to results presented at the 2024 San Antonio Breast...
Andrew Tutt, MB ChB, PhD, FMedSci, on OlympiA: High-Risk BRCA-Positive Breast Cancer
Andrew Tutt, MB ChB, PhD, FMedSci, Director of The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and Guy’s Hospital King’s College, London, discusses longer-term follow-up of OlympiA, a phase III, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of adjuvant olaparib after (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with germline BRCA1/BRCA2 pathogenic variants and high-risk HER2-negative primary breast cancer (Abstract GS1-09).
Nan Chen, MD, on Impact of Anthracyclines in High Genomic Risk Node-Negative HR-Positive/HER2-Negative Breast Cancer
Nan Chen, MD, of the University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, discusses the impact of anthracyclines in high genomic risk node-negative HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer (Abstract GS3-03).
Trastuzumab Deruxtecan vs Chemotherapy in Advanced Breast Cancer
Researchers have examined whether the antibody-drug conjugate fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (T-DXd) may improve progression-free survival in patients with advanced breast cancer who have undergone prior hormone-based therapies, according to recent findings presented by Bardia et al at the 2024...
Adjuvant Tamoxifen May Reduce Recurrence Risk for Patients With ‘Good-Risk’ DCIS Who Forgo Radiation
For patients with “good-risk” ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) who underwent breast-conserving surgery and did not receive radiotherapy, tamoxifen significantly decreased the risk of recurrence in the same breast, according to results presented at the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium...
