Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

ASCO 2014: highlights in breast cancer

  • short review
  • Published:
memo - Magazine of European Medical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

While in general, not immediately praxis changing, results of various relevant clinical trials were presented at the 2014 ASCO Annual Meeting. Indeed, the ALTTO study provided first (albeit negative) data on the activity of dual Her2 inhibition with trastuzumab and lapatinib (either sequentially or concomitantly) in the adjuvant setting, while a combined analysis of the SOFT and TEXT studies suggested, for the first time, that a combination of ovarian function suppression (OFS) plus exemestane might be superior to OFS plus tamoxifen in premenopausal early breast cancer patients. Results of the POEMS trial investigating the role of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone-analog goserelin in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea led to lengthy debates, as the trial reported a survival benefit in hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer patients receiving goserelin. A subgroup analysis of German Breast Group trial GeparSixto as well as several other phase II trials again emphasized the role of carboplatin in neoadjuvant therapy of triple-negative breast cancer patients. These and other studies will be reviewed within this article.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Baselga J, Bradbury I, Eidtmann H, et al. Lapatinib with trastuzumab for HER2-positive early breast cancer (NeoALTTO): a randomised, open-label, multicentre, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2012;379(9816):633–40.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Gianni L, Pienkowski T, Im YH, et al. Efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant pertuzumab and trastuzumab in women with locally advanced, inflammatory, or early HER2-positive breast cancer (NeoSphere): a randomised multicentre, open-label, phase 2 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2012;13(1):25–32.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Schneeweiss A, Chia S, Hickish T, et al. Pertuzumab plus trastuzumab in combination with standard neoadjuvant anthracycline-containing and anthracycline-free chemotherapy regimens in patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer: a randomized phase II cardiac safety study (TRYPHAENA). Ann Oncol. 2013;24(9):2278–84.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Piccart-Gebhart MJ, Holmes AP, Baselga J, et al. First results from the phase III ALTTO trial (BIG 2-06; NCCTG [Alliance] N063D) comparing one year of anti-HER2 therapy with lapatinib alone, trastuzumab alone, their sequence, or their combination in the adjuvant treatment of HER2-positive early breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2014;32(Suppl. 18):LBA4.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Pagani O, Regan MM, Walley BA, et al. Adjuvant exemestane with ovarian suppression in premenopausal breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2014;371(2):107–18.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Gnant M, Mlineritsch B, Schippinger W, et al. Endocrine therapy plus zoledronic acid in premenopausal breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2009;360(22):679–91.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Moore HCF, Unger JM, Phillips K-A, et al. Phase III trial (Prevention of Early Menopause Study [POEMS]-SWOG S0230) of LHRH analog during chemotherapy to reduce ovarian failure in early-stage, hormone receptor-negative breast cancer: an international Intergroup trial of SWOG, IBCSG, ECOG, and CALGB (Alliance). J Clin Oncol. 2014;32(Suppl. 18):LBA505.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Coudert BP, Pierga JY, Mouret-Reynier MA, et al. AVATAXHER: an open-label, randomized, multicenter study investigating the addition of bevacizumab (B) to neoadjuvant trastuzumab (T) plus docetaxel (D) in patients with early stage HER2-positive breast cancer (HER2 + BC) stratified according to PET change after one therapy cycle. J Clin Oncol. 2014;32(Suppl. 18):Abstr. 507.

  9. Tamura K, Hashimoto J, Tsuda H, et al. Randomized phase II study of weekly paclitaxel with or without carboplatin followed by cyclophosphamide/epirubicin/5-fluorouracil as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for stage II/IIIA HER2-negative breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2014;32(Suppl. 18):Abstr. 1017.

  10. Sharma P, Stecklein SR, Kimler BF, et al. Efficacy of neoadjuvant carboplatin/docetaxel chemotherapy in sporadic and BRCA-associated triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). J Clin Oncol. 2014;32(Suppl. 18):Abstr. 1022.

  11. Earl HM, Hiller L, Blenkinsop C, et al. ARTemis: a randomised trial of bevacizumab with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for patients with HER2-negative early breast cancer—primary endpoint, pathological complete response (pCR). J Clin Oncol. 2014;32(Suppl. 18):Abstr. 1014.

  12. Von Minckwitz G, Eidtmann H, Rezai M, et al. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and bevacizumab for HER2-negative breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2012;366(4):299–309.

  13. Von Minckwitz G, Hahnen E, Fasching PA, et al. Pathological complete response (pCR) rates after carboplatin-containing neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with germline BRCA (gBRCA) mutation and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC): results from GeparSixto. J Clin Oncol. 2014;32(Suppl. 18):Abstr. 1005.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18–20, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Rupert Bartsch & Elisabeth Bergen MD

  2. Clinical Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine 1, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18–20, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Rupert Bartsch & Elisabeth Bergen MD

Authors
  1. Rupert Bartsch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Elisabeth Bergen MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rupert Bartsch.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bartsch, R., Bergen, E. ASCO 2014: highlights in breast cancer. memo 7, 242–245 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12254-014-0179-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12254-014-0179-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation