Sorafenib for the treatment of breast cancer.
Breast cancer treatment includes many options depending on the tumor clinicopathological profile, which groups breast cancer into various subtypes. Bevacizumab is currently the only drug capable of targeting angiogenesis in breast cancer. Sorafenib has also been studied in combination with other agents. Areas covered: Pharmacological aspects of sorafenib, including results from preclinical studies on breast cancer cells; findings about clinical efficacy and safety in both single-arm and randomized clinical trials; ongoing trials. Expert opinion: Since sorafenib as a single agent has shown limited efficacy in breast cancer, its combination with other drugs is under investigation. Dose reduction is the main challenge when sorafenib is combined with chemotherapy or endocrine therapy. Although randomized phase-II trials on sorafenib plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone have shown potential benefits in progression-free survival, preliminary results from a phase-III study in combination with capecitabine are negative. The definitive results of this trial and results from other ongoing phase-II trials will determine further developments of sorafenib in breast cancer. Although these additional data could help determine the most appropriate dose, drug combination and patient settings, a confirmation of the preliminary negative results reported in the phase-III trial are likely to discourage further use of sorafenib in breast cancer, given its non-negligible toxicity, lack of predicting markers, and the number of more promising drugs for breast cancer.
a Department of Medical Oncology , Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS , Meldola , Italy.
Giuseppe
G
Bronte
b Unit of Biostatistics and Clinical Trials , Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS , Meldola , Italy.
Daniele
D
Andreis
c Biosciences Laboratory , Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS , Meldola , Italy.
Sara
S
Bravaccini
a Department of Medical Oncology , Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS , Meldola , Italy.
Roberta
R
Maltoni
a Department of Medical Oncology , Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS , Meldola , Italy.
Lorenzo
L
Cecconetto
a Department of Medical Oncology , Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS , Meldola , Italy.
Alessio
A
Schirone
a Department of Medical Oncology , Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS , Meldola , Italy.
Alberto
A
Farolfi
a Department of Medical Oncology , Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS , Meldola , Italy.
Anna
A
Fedeli
b Unit of Biostatistics and Clinical Trials , Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS , Meldola , Italy.
Patrizia
P
Serra
d Oncology Pharmacy , Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS , Meldola , Italy.
Caterina
C
Donati
a Department of Medical Oncology , Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS , Meldola , Italy.
Dino
D
Amadori
a Department of Medical Oncology , Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS , Meldola , Italy.
Andrea
A
Rocca
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069287:Capecitabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009536:Niacinamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D000077157:Sorafenib; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D009536:Niacinamide; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000069287:Capecitabine; D000077157:Sorafenib
Sorafenib; angiogenesis; breast cancer; chemotherapy