title: Jumping higher: is it still possible? The ALTTO trial challenge.
abstract: Trastuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against HER2, used alone or in combination with chemotherapy, has shown significant clinical benefit in improving survival in the metastatic setting, as well as halving the recurrence rate and improving survival in HER2-positive early breast cancer. Lapatinib is an orally active, reversible, small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor that potently inhibits both HER1 and HER2 tyrosine kinase activity. This agent is the most advanced in terms of clinical trials and has been shown to have a favorable safety profile. Owing to the promising activity seen in advanced breast cancer, lapatinib is the ideal candidate for testing in the adjuvant setting. Adjuvant Lapatinib and/or Trastuzumab Treatment Optimisation (ALTTO) is a four-arm randomized trial designed to compare trastuzumab and lapatinib in women with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer. Specifically, ALTTO will examine which anti-HER2 agent is more effective and which is their best schedule of administration, namely, what benefit will be derived by taking the drugs separately, in tandem order or in combination. Overall, 8000 patients will be enrolled worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Institute Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 121 Boulevard de Waterloo, 1000, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tomasello
authors.forename: Evandro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Azambuja
authors.forename: Phuong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dinh
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Snoj
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piccart-Gebhart
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077341:Lapatinib; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068878:Trastuzumab
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; D000077341:Lapatinib; D000068878:Trastuzumab