TBCRC 001: randomized phase II study of cetuximab in combination with carboplatin in stage IV triple-negative breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a targetable receptor frequently overexpressed in basal-like breast cancer, which comprises most triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs), the only subtype without established targeted therapy.


METHODS
In this randomized phase II trial, patients with metastatic TNBC received anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab (400 mg/m(2) load then 250 mg/m(2) per week intravenously [IV]) alone, with carboplatin (area under the curve of 2, once per week IV) added after progression or as concomitant therapy from the beginning. Response rate (RR) was the primary end point; others included time to progression (TTP), overall survival (OS), and toxicity. Embedded correlative studies included molecular subtyping on archival tissue. Fresh tumor tissue before and after 7 to 14 days of therapy was used for microarray analyses exploring EGFR pathway activity and inhibition.


RESULTS
In 102 patients with TNBC, RRs were 6% (two of 31) to cetuximab and 16% (four of 25) to cetuximab plus carboplatin after progression. RR to those treated from the beginning with cetuximab plus carboplatin was 17% (12 of 71); 31% of patients responded or had prolonged disease stabilization. The cetuximab plus carboplatin regimen was well tolerated, but both TTP and OS were short at 2.1 months (95% CI, 1.8 to 5.5 months) and 10.4 months (95% CI, 7.7 to 13.1 months), respectively. Of 73 patients with archival tissue for analysis, 74% had basal-like molecular subtype. Sixteen patients had tumor biopsies before and 1 week after therapy; genomic patterns of the EGFR pathway showed activation in 13 and inhibition by therapy in five.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite strong preclinical data, combination cetuximab plus carboplatin in metastatic TNBC produced responses in fewer than 20% of patients. EGFR pathway analysis showed that most TNBCs involved activation. However, cetuximab blocked expression of the EGFR pathway in only a minority, suggesting that most had alternate mechanisms for pathway activation.
Hematology/Oncology, University of North Carolina-Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, 170 Manning Dr., Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7305, USA. lisa_carey@med.unc.edu
Lisa A
LA
Carey
Hope S
HS
Rugo
P Kelly
PK
Marcom
Erica L
EL
Mayer
Francisco J
FJ
Esteva
Cynthia X
CX
Ma
Minetta C
MC
Liu
Anna Maria
AM
Storniolo
Mothaffar F
MF
Rimawi
Andres
A
Forero-Torres
Antonio C
AC
Wolff
Timothy J
TJ
Hobday
Anastasia
A
Ivanova
Wing-Keung
WK
Chiu
Madlyn
M
Ferraro
Emily
E
Burrows
Philip S
PS
Bernard
Katherine A
KA
Hoadley
Charles M
CM
Perou
Eric P
EP
Winer
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000068818:Cetuximab; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016190:Carboplatin; D000068818:Cetuximab; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human