ASCO Early Highlights – Sunday, June 4
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is hosting more than 35,000 cancer researchers, doctors, patient advocates and industry representatives from around the world in Chicago for their 55th annual meeting. Much anticipated new data is being presented relevant to breast cancer, and particularly, metastatic breast cancer. A few early highlights are presented here and the MBC Alliance will post additional information over the next few days.
BREAKING NEWS – ASCO 2017 Highlights
- CDK4/CDK6 inhibitors
- George Sledge presented data from the Phase 3 MONARCH2 study on the CDK4/CDK6 inhibitor abemaciclib in combination with fulvestrant in women with hormone-positive (HR+) and HER2- advanced breast cancer who had a progression on endocrine therapy. Dr. Sledge reported the combination of abemaciclib and fulvestrant had a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 16.4 months, versus placebo-plus-fulvestrant’s 9.3 month PFS benefit.
Dr. Sledge noted “the response rate was the highest for an endocrine-resistant population”. - Two other CDK4/CDK6 inhibitors have already received FDA approval: the first was Ibrance® (palbociclib), which received accelerated approval in 2015 and full approval this year, and Kisqali® (ribociclib) which received FDA approval in March.
- The FDA approved the CDK4/CDK6 inhibitor Kisqali® (ribociclib) in combination with an aromatase inhibitor as initial endocrine-based therapy for the treatment of postmenopausal women with HR+/HER2- advanced or metastatic breast cancer. At ASCO, updated findings from the Phase 3 MONALEESA-2 study reinforced the efficacy and safety of this combination, and reported at ASCO 2017 an additional 11 months of follow-up that showed a median PFS of 25.3 months for Kisqali plus letrozole and 16.0 months for letrozole alone.
- George Sledge presented data from the Phase 3 MONARCH2 study on the CDK4/CDK6 inhibitor abemaciclib in combination with fulvestrant in women with hormone-positive (HR+) and HER2- advanced breast cancer who had a progression on endocrine therapy. Dr. Sledge reported the combination of abemaciclib and fulvestrant had a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 16.4 months, versus placebo-plus-fulvestrant’s 9.3 month PFS benefit.
- Upcoming study presentations at ASCO:
- The OlympiAD trial of Lynparza® (olaparib), a PARP inhibitor, versus chemotherapy in BRCA-mutated breast cancer will be reported Sunday, June 4. Read the study abstract HERE.
- An updated study of neratinib plus capecitabine in patients wither HER2+ breast cancer brain metastasis will be presented. Read the study abstract HERE.
- Several studies testing immune modulation agents in breast cancer will be reported Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at ASCO. Read more study astracts HERE & HERE.
- Many other important patient-focused studies and laboratory studies were presented. One that was of particular interest was a randomized clinical trial to assess psychological interventions in cancer. In particular the Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) study suggests that a brief psychological intervention relieves depressive symptoms in patients with advanced cancer. Read the article HERE.
The MBC Alliance will publish a complete summary of key ASCO 2017 presentations over the coming days. At the midpoint of ASCO 2017, the Alliance is pleased to see the number of studies publishing new results for metastatic breast cancer as well as early breast cancer, and for many subtypes – from hormone sensitive (ER+), HER2+ and triple-negative breast cancers.
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