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- Bernsdorf, Mogens, et al.
(author)
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Effect of adding gefitinib to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in estrogen receptor negative early breast cancer in a randomized phase II trial
- 2011
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In: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1573-7217 .- 0167-6806. ; 126:2, s. 463-470
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Gefitinib, an epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has shown both anti-proliferative and anti-tumoral activity in breast cancer. This study was designed to determine the effect of adding gefitinib to neoadjuvant epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (EC) on tumor response rates. Women with unilateral, primary operable, estrogen receptor negative invasive breast cancer a parts per thousand yen 2 cm were eligible for inclusion. Randomized patients were to receive four cycles of neoadjuvant EC plus 12 weeks of either gefitinib (250 mg daily) or placebo. Primary endpoint was pathologic complete response (pCR), and secondary endpoints were complete response (CR) and overall objective response (OR). 181 patients were randomized. A pCR was observed in 17% (12/71) of patients treated with gefitinib and in 12% (9/73) of patients treated with placebo (4.57% difference, 95% CI -7.19 to 6.33; P = 0.44). CR was observed in 10% of patients in both the gefitinib (7/71) and the placebo group (7/73) (0.27% difference, 95% CI -9.6 to 10.2; P = 0.96). There was no significant difference in OR (5.96%; 95% CI -9.9 to 21.9; P = 0.45) between the two groups. Post hoc subgroup analysis showed a significant difference in pCR between triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and non-TNBC tumors (P = 0.03). More patients in the gefitinib arm had hematological toxicity (P = 0.15) and discontinued treatment (9/94 vs. 2/86) because of adverse events (AE). Tumor response rates were similar in the two groups. A significantly higher pCR rate was observed post hoc in TNBC versus non-TNBC independent of treatment. More patients in the gefitinib group discontinued treatment because of AE.
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2. |
- Bernsdorf, Mogens, et al.
(author)
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Value of post-operative reassessment of estrogen receptor alpha expression following neoadjuvant chemotherapy with or without gefitinib for estrogen receptor negative breast cancer
- 2011
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In: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1573-7217 .- 0167-6806. ; 128:1, s. 165-170
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The NICE trial was designed to evaluate the possible benefits of adding epidermal growth factor receptor targeted therapy to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with estrogen receptor alpha (ER) negative and operable breast cancer. Preclinical data have suggested that signalling through the ErbB receptors or downstream effectors may repress ER expression. Here the authors investigated whether gefitinib, given neoadjuvant in combination with epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (EC), could restore ER expression. Eligible patients in the NICE trial were women with unilateral, primary operable, ER negative invasive breast cancer a parts per thousand yen2 cm. Material from patients randomized and completing treatment (four cycles of neoadjuvant EC plus 12 weeks of either gefitinib or placebo) in the NICE trial having available ER status both at baseline and after neoadjuvant treatment were eligible for this study. Tumors with indication of changed ER phenotype (based on collected pathology reports) were immunohistochemically reassessed centrally. 115 patients were eligible for this study; 59 patients in the gefitinib group and 56 patients in the placebo group. Five (4.3%) of 115 tumors changed ER phenotype from negative to positive. A change was seen in three patients in the gefitinib (5.1%) and in two patients in the placebo (3.6%) group with a difference of 1.51% (95% CI, -6.1-9.1). Results of the NICE trial have been reported previously. Post-operative reassessment of ER expression changed the assessment of ER status in a small but significant fraction of patients and should, whenever possible, be performed following neoadjuvant chemotherapy for ER negative breast cancer. Gefitinib did not affect the reversion rate of ER negative tumors.
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