Opposite trends in incidence of breast cancer in young and old female cohorts in Hungary and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic: a nationwide study between 2011-2020.

Background: This nationwide study examined breast cancer (BC) incidence and mortality rates in Hungary between 2011-2019, and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the incidence and mortality rates in 2020 using the databases of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and Central Statistical Office (CSO) of Hungary. Methods: Our nationwide, retrospective study included patients who were newly diagnosed with breast cancer (International Codes of Diseases ICD)-10 C50) between Jan 1, 2011 and Dec 31, 2020. Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates (ASRs) were calculated using European Standard Populations (ESP). Results: 7,729 to 8,233 new breast cancer cases were recorded in the NHIF database annually, and 3,550 to 4,909 all-cause deaths occurred within BC population per year during 2011-2019 period, while 2,096 to 2,223 breast cancer cause-specific death was recorded (CSO). Age-standardized incidence rates varied between 116.73 and 106.16/100,000 PYs, showing a mean annual change of -0.7% (95% CI: -1.21%-0.16%) and a total change of -5.41% (95% CI: -9.24 to -1.32). Age-standardized mortality rates varied between 26.65-24.97/100,000 PYs (mean annual change: -0.58%; 95% CI: -1.31-0.27%; p=0.101; total change: -5.98%; 95% CI: -13.36-2.66). Age-specific incidence rates significantly decreased between 2011 and 2019 in women aged 50-59, 60-69, 80-89, and ≥90 years (-8.22%, -14.28%, -9.14%, and -36.22%, respectively), while it increased in young females by 30.02% (95%CI 17,01%- 51,97%) during the same period. From 2019 to 2020 (in first COVID-19 pandemic year), breast cancer incidence nominally decreased by 12% (incidence rate ratio [RR]: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.69-1.13; 2020 vs. 2019), all-cause mortality nominally increased by 6% (RR: 1.06; 95% CI: 0.79-1.43) among breast cancer patients, and cause-specific mortality did not change (RR: 1.00; 95%CI: 0.86-1.15). Conclusion: The incidence of breast cancer significantly decreased in older age groups (≥50 years), oppositely increased among young females between 2011 and 2019, while cause-specific mortality in breast cancer patients showed a non-significant decrease. In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a nominal, but not statistically significant, 12% decrease in breast cancer incidence, with no significant increase in cause-specific breast cancer mortality observed during 2020.

Corrigendum: Systemic treatment of breast cancer. 1st Central-Eastern European professional Consensus Statement on breast cancer.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/pore.2022.1610383.].

Systemic Treatment of Breast Cancer. 1st Central-Eastern European Professional Consensus Statement on Breast Cancer.

This text is based on the recommendations accepted by the 4th Hungarian Consensus Conference on Breast Cancer, modified based on the international consultation and conference within the frames of the Central-Eastern European Academy of Oncology. The professional guideline primarily reflects the resolutions and recommendations of the current ESMO, NCCN and ABC5, as well as that of the St. Gallen Consensus Conference statements. The recommendations cover classical prognostic factors and certain multigene tests, which play an important role in therapeutic decision-making. From a didactic point of view, the text first addresses early and then locally advanced breast cancer, followed by locoregionally recurrent and metastatic breast cancer. Within these, we discuss each group according to the available therapeutic options. At the end of the recommendations, we summarize the criteria for treatment in certain rare clinical situations.

Demographic Characteristics and Treatment Patterns Among Patients Receiving Palbociclib for HR+/HER2- Advanced Breast Cancer: A Nationwide Real-World Experience.

BACKGROUND: This nationwide retrospective study reports data on the real-world use of the selective cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor palbociclib in a large population of advanced breast cancer (ABC) patients during a 2-year period in Hungary. METHODS: All patients with ABC who received palbociclib between May 1, 2017 and June 30, 2019 were included in the analysis. Patient demographic and clinical characteristics, disease-related factors and treatment patterns were examined during the early access program and in the regular reimbursement period. RESULTS: Altogether, 962 patients were included (mean age: 60.6 years). A total of 399 patients (41%) were treated with palbociclib plus aromatase inhibitors (P+AI), and 563 patients (59%) received palbociclib and fulvestrant (P+F). The most commonly prescribed AI was letrozole (n=359; 90%). Of those with metastatic disease (n=733; 76%), 241 patients (33%) had visceral metastases and 449 (61%) had bone-only disease. The majority of patients (79%) received palbociclib as first- or second-line therapy for ABC. The starting dose of palbociclib was 125 mg in 98% of patients; dose reductions were required in 32% of patients receiving P+AI and 31% of those treated with P+F. At the time of data collection, palbociclib therapy was ongoing in 270 patients (68%) in the P+AI group and 245 patients (44%) in the P+F group. CONCLUSIONS: This nationwide analysis is the first to provide insights into the real-world use of palbociclib in a large patient population from a Central-Eastern European country. The findings confirm the good tolerability of palbociclib with similar dose reduction rates to those reported from registration trials.

Pathologic Complete Response Rates After Neoadjuvant Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab with Chemotherapy in Early Stage HER2-Positive Breast Cancer - Increasing Rates of Breast Conserving Surgery: A Real-World Experience.

Purpose: The neoadjuvant use of pertuzumab and trastuzumab with chemotherapy improves the pathologic complete response (pCR) in early HER2+ breast cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the pCR rate obtained with dual HER2 blockade in routine clinical practice. The secondary and tertiary objective was to investigate the impact of neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST) on performing breast-conserving surgery and survival data. Methods: This was a multicentre, retrospective, observational study in patients with stage II and III HER2+ early breast cancer who received pertuzumab and trastuzumab-based NST. Data were collected from patients' medical records. Results: Eighty-two patients were included in the study treated in 8 cancer centers in Hungary between March 2015 and January 2020. The study included women with a median age of 50.3 years. The majority of the patients (95%) received a sequence of anthracycline-based chemotherapy followed by docetaxel. pCR was achieved in 54% of the cases. As a result of NST a significant increase of conservative breast surgeries (33% vs. 3.6% planned, p = 0.0001) was observed. Ki67 expression and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) significantly predicted pCR. None of the variables were independent predictors of DFS. Conclusion: The pCR rate achieved in our study demonstrates the reproducibility of trial data in a real-world population. The rate of breast-conserving surgery was significantly increased.

[Systemic treatment of breast cancer: professional guideline]. / Az emlorák szisztémás kezelése: szakmai irányelvek.

Since the III. Breast Cancer Consensus Conference, a number of new evidence based on clinical trial results have been published which justified updating the 2016 recommendation. In addition to classical prognostic factors, some multigenic tests, which we have incorporated into the recommendation, will play an important role in therapeutic decision-making. The professional guide primarily reflects the resolutions and recommendations of the current ESMO, NCCN, ABC4, as well as the St. Gallen Consensus Conference. From a didactic point of view, the text follows first the line of early and then locally advanced breast cancer, locoregionally recurrent and metastatic breast cancer. Within these, we discuss each group according to therapeutic options.

Overall survival results from the randomized phase 2 study of palbociclib in combination with letrozole versus letrozole alone for first-line treatment of ER+/HER2- advanced breast cancer (PALOMA-1, TRIO-18).

PURPOSE: Palbociclib is a cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor, approved in combination with endocrine therapy for the treatment of women and men with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative advanced breast cancer (HR+/HER2- ABC). In the phase 2, open-label, PALOMA-1 trial, palbociclib plus letrozole significantly prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) versus letrozole alone (hazard ratio, 0.488; 95% CI 0.319‒0.748; P = 0.0004; median PFS, 20.2 vs 10.2 months, respectively) in postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+)/HER2- ABC. Here, we present the final overall survival (OS) and updated safety results. METHODS: Postmenopausal women with ER+/HER2- ABC were randomized 1:1 to receive either palbociclib (125 mg/day, 3/1 schedule) plus letrozole (2.5 mg/day, continuous) or letrozole alone (2.5 mg/day, continuous). The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed PFS; secondary endpoints included OS and safety. RESULTS: A total of 165 patients were randomized. At the data cutoff date of December 30, 2016 (median duration of follow-up, 64.7 months), the stratified hazard ratio for OS was 0.897 (95% CI 0.623-1.294; P = 0.281); median OS in the palbociclib plus letrozole and letrozole alone arms was 37.5 and 34.5 months, respectively. The median time from randomization to first subsequent chemotherapy use was longer with palbociclib plus letrozole than letrozole alone (26.7 and 17.7 months, respectively). The most frequently reported adverse event in the palbociclib plus letrozole arm was neutropenia (any grade, 75%; grade 3 or 4, 59%). CONCLUSIONS: Palbociclib plus letrozole treatment led to a numerical but not statistically significant improvement in median OS. Pfizer Inc (NCT00721409).

Neoadjuvant letrozole plus taselisib versus letrozole plus placebo in postmenopausal women with oestrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative, early-stage breast cancer (LORELEI): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Endocrine therapy-based neoadjuvant treatment for luminal breast cancer allows efficient testing of new combinations before surgery. The activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway is a known mechanism of resistance to endocrine therapy. Taselisib is an oral, selective PI3K inhibitor with enhanced activity against PIK3CA-mutant cancer cells. The LORELEI trial tested whether taselisib in combination with letrozole would result in an increased proportion of objective responses and pathological complete responses. METHODS: In this multicentre, randomised, double-blind, parallel-cohort, placebo-controlled phase 2, study, we enrolled postmenopausal women (aged ≥18 years) with histologically confirmed, oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive, HER2-negative, stage I-III, operable breast cancer, from 85 hospitals in 22 countries worldwide. To be eligible, patients had have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-1, adequate organ function, and had to have evaluable tumour tissue for PIK3CA genotyping. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) by means of a permuted block algorithm (block size of four) via an interactive voice or web-based response system, to receive letrozole (2·5 mg/day orally, continuously) with either 4 mg of oral taselisib or placebo (on a 5 days-on, 2 days-off schedule) for 16 weeks, followed by surgery. Randomisation was stratified by tumour size and nodal status. Site staff, patients, and the sponsor were masked to treatment assignment. Coprimary endpoints were the proportion of patients who achieved an objective response by centrally assessed breast MRI and a locally assessed pathological complete response in the breast and axilla (ypT0/Tis, ypN0) at surgery in all randomly assigned patients and in patients with PIK3CA-mutant tumours. Analyses were done in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02273973, and is closed to accrual. FINDINGS: Between Nov 12, 2014, and Aug 12, 2016, 334 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive letrozole and placebo (n=168) or letrozole and taselisib (n=166). Median follow-up was 4·9 months (IQR 4·7-5·1). The study met one of its primary endpoints: the addition of taselisib to letrozole was associated with a higher proportion of patients achieving an objective response in all randomly assigned patients (66 [39%] of 168 patients in the placebo group vs 83 [50%] of 166 in the taselisib group; odds ratio [OR] 1·55, 95% CI 1·00-2·38; p=0·049) and in the PIK3CA-mutant subset (30 [38%] of 79 vs 41 [56%] of 73; OR 2·03, 95% CI 1·06-3·88; p=0·033). No significant differences were observed in pathological complete response between the two groups, either in the overall population (three [2%] of 166 in the taselisib group vs one [1%] of 168 in the placebo group; OR 3·07 [95% CI 0·32-29·85], p=0·37) or in the PIK3CA-mutant cohort (one patient [1%) vs none [0%]; OR not estimable, p=0·48). The most common grade 3-4 adverse events in the taselisib group were gastrointestinal (13 [8%] of 167 patients), infections (eight [5%]), and skin-subcutaneous tissue disorders (eight [5%]). In the placebo group, four (2%) of 167 patients had grade 3 or worse vascular disorders, two (1%) had gastrointestinal disorders, and two (1%) patients had grade 3 or worse infections and infestations. There was no grade 4 hyperglycaemia and grade 3 cases were asymptomatic. Serious adverse events were more common in the taselisib group (eight [5%] patients with infections and seven [4%] with gastrointestinal effects) than in the placebo group (one [1%] patient each with grade 3 postoperative wound and haematoma infection, grade 4 hypertensive encephalopathy, grade 3 acute cardiac failure, and grade 3 breast pain). One death occurred in the taselisib group, which was not considered to be treatment-related. INTERPRETATION: The increase in the proportion of patients who achieved an objective response from the addition of taselisib to endocrine therapy in a neoadjuvant setting is consistent with the clinical benefit observed in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, metastatic breast cancer. FUNDING: Genentech and F Hoffmann-La Roche.

Advantages of 18F FDG-PET/CT over Conventional Staging for Sarcoma Patients.

The effective management of patients with sarcomas requires accurate diagnosis and staging. Imaging, such as ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the most freqently used methods for the detection of the lesion location, size, morphology and structural changes to adjacent tissues; however, these modalities provide little information about tumour biology. MRI is a robust and useful modality in tumour staging of sarcomas, however metabolic-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/ computer tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) provides greater accuracy to overall staging in combination with MRI [1]. The advantages of 18F-FDG PET/CT method compared with CT and MRI is that it provides a whole body imaging, maps the viability of the tumour or the metabolic activity of the tissue. Additionally, PET detects the most agressive part of the tumour, demonstrates the biological behaviour of the tumour and therefore has a predictive value. Little data ara available on the role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in the management of sarcomas. The present manuscript aims to provide a review of the major indications of 18F-FDG PET/CT for diagnosis, staging, restaging and monitoring response to therapy and to compare its usefulness with the conventional imaging modalities in the management of patients with sarcomas.

[Experience with cabazitaxel therapy for patients with metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer in Hungary]. / Hazai tapasztalatok kasztrációrezisztens metasztatikus prosztatadaganatos betegek kabazitaxelterápiájával.

Our aim was to assess the efficacy and adverse effects of cabazitaxel (CBZ), a chemotherapeutic agent that can be administered to patients with metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) after docetaxel (DOC) therapy. We retrospectively analyzed data of CBZ received by mCRPC patients in 12 Hungarian oncological centers between 01/2016 and 06/2017. CBZ (25 or 20 mg/m2 q3w) was administered after DOC. Physical and laboratory examinations were performed in every cycle, tumor response was evaluated in every third cycle based on PCWG2 criteria. Adverse effects were evaluated based on CTCAE 4.0. Data of 60 patients were analyzed. CBZ was administered in 2nd and 3rd lines in 31.6% and 46.6%, while in 4th and 5th lines in 15% and 6.6% patients, respectively. Its starting dose was 25 mg/m2 and 20 mg/m2 in 65% and 35% of cases, respectively. The median number of cycles was 5. Progression-free survival and overall survival were 5.52 and 15.77 months, respectively. Survival results were similar in case of DOC-CBZ-ART/alfaradin and DOC-ART/alfaradin-CBZ sequences. Adverse effects were detected in 63,3% of patients. The most common adverse effects were neutropenia, anemia, and diarrhea. Our observations suggest that CBZ, with the appropriate support and chemotherapeutic experience, is well-tolerated and effective therapy of mCRPC after DOC.

Fulvestrant in advanced breast cancer: evidence to date and place in therapy.

Breast cancer is a classical hormone-dependent tumour; therefore, endocrine therapy is the mainstay of treatment for hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor 2-negative advanced breast cancer. Until recently, classical endocrine agents such as tamoxifen, steroidal and nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitors and fulvestrant have been widely used in postmenopausal patients to treat locally advanced or metastatic disease. However, for patients with this subtype of breast cancer, the landscape of endocrine therapy is rapidly changing. Therapies targeting oestrogen modulation have evolved in recent years following the introduction of targeted agents, mTOR and CDK 4/6 inhibitors that are administered in combination with hormone therapy. As a result, options for endocrine therapy have expanded in recent years, and a variety of single-agent or combinations of targeted drugs and endocrine therapies are accepted. Fulvestrant is a selective oestrogen receptor downregulator (SERD) which was introduced to clinical practice in 2002, initially with the indication to treat postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor-positive advanced breast cancer as second-line therapy postdisease progression after aromatase inhibitors or tamoxifen. Additionally, fulvestrant has also been shown to be active in patients previously untreated with endocrine therapy, either both in the neoadjuvant and the metastatic setting, alone or in combination with other targeted therapies. Currently, the standard dose is 500 mg, which is administered with a loading dose. Fulvestrant received a new FDA indication in December 2016, in combination with palbociclib, both in pre/peri/postmenopausal women with breast cancer progressing after endocrine therapy. This manuscript aims to give an overview of new efficacy data and the current role of fulvestrant in the systemic therapy of hormone-receptor-positive advanced breast cancer, in the context of other available therapeutic modalities.

[Palbociclib combinations as new therapeutic strategies in the treatment of HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer]. / Palbociclib kombinációs kezelések: új kezelési stratégiák a HR+/HER2­ elõrehaladott emlõrák terápiájában.

Until recently, the only endocrine agents used to treat HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancers were tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors and fulvestrant, although a substantial proportion of patients relapse on these standard therapies. Intensive research has been conducted to develop new strategies to overcome endocrine resistance and to enhance the efficacy of endocrine treatments by combining hormone therapy with other targeted treatment approaches. The development of selective CDK4/6 inhibitors and the introduction of palbociclib, the first molecule in this class in clinical practice, represent an important step in the treatment of HR+ advanced breast cancer. High level evidence supports the use of palbociclib plus letrozole in the treatment of endocrine sensitive breast cancers, or palbociclib plus fulvestrant in tumors that develop acquired resistance to endocrine therapy. These combinations are effective and well tolerated therapeutic modalities. The new combination regimens with palbociclib represent an important addition to the therapeutic armamentarium in locally advanced and metastatic ER+/HER2- breast cancer. The article reviews the current role of palbociclib in combination with endocrine therapy in the therapy of HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer.

Impact of palbociclib combinations on treatment of advanced estrogen receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor 2-negative breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease with multiple subgroups based on clinical and molecular characteristics. For the largest subgroup of breast cancers, hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)-negative tumors, hormone treatment is the mainstay of therapy and is likely to result in significant improvement in disease outcomes. However, some of these cancers demonstrate de novo or acquired resistance to endocrine therapy. Despite intensive research to develop new strategies to enhance the efficacy of currently available treatment options for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, progress has been slow, and there were few advances for a period of 10 years. In 2012, a new molecularly targeted therapeutic strategy, inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin with everolimus, was introduced into clinical practice. Everolimus, in combination with a steroidal aromatase inhibitor, exemestane, resulted in an increase in progression-free survival, but not overall survival in patients with estrogen receptor (ER)+ve advanced disease who had progressed on hormone therapy. In 2015, the first cyclin-dependent kinases 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor, palbociclib, received accelerated US Food and Drug Administration approval for use in combination with letrozole for the treatment of postmenopausal ER+ve/HER2-ve advanced breast cancer as initial, endocrine-based therapy. The addition of palbociclib to endocrine therapy resulted in longer progression-free survival than letrozole alone. One year later, palbociclib received a new indication, use in combination with fulvestrant, in both premenopausal and postmenopausal females with advanced breast cancer of the same subtype with disease progression following endocrine therapy. Adding palbociclib to fulvestrant resulted in a significantly increased median progression-free survival compared to fulvestrant monotherapy. These new combination regimens of palbociclib with endocrine agents represent an important addition to the therapeutic armamentarium in ER+ve/HER2-ve advanced and metastatic breast cancer.

[Systemic therapy of breast cancer: practice guideline]. / Az emlõrák szisztémás kezelése: szakmai útmutatás.

The article presents the practice guideline of systemic treatment of breast cancer and recommendations of the 3rd Hungarian Breast Cancer Consensus Conference. It reflects the recent international guidelines (ESMO, NCCN, ABC2, St Gallen's) irrespectively of the current financial opportunities. Here we follow the early - locally advanced - locally relapsed - metastatic breast cancer line for didactic considerations and we discuss the different subgroups of breast cancer based on hormone receptor and HER2 receptor status. Diagnosis and treatment options of rare clinical entities are summarised at the end of the paper.

Efficacy and safety of palbociclib in combination with letrozole as first-line treatment of ER-positive, HER2-negative, advanced breast cancer: expanded analyses of subgroups from the randomized pivotal trial PALOMA-1/TRIO-18.

BACKGROUND: Palbociclib is an oral small-molecule inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6. In the randomized, open-label, phase II PALOMA-1/TRIO-18 trial, palbociclib in combination with letrozole improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared with letrozole alone as first-line treatment of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, advanced breast cancer (20.2 months versus 10.2 months; hazard ratio (HR) = 0.488, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.319-0.748; one-sided p = 0.0004). Grade 3-4 neutropenia was the most common adverse event (AE) in the palbociclib + letrozole arm. We now present efficacy and safety analyses based on several specific patient and tumor characteristics, and present in detail the clinical patterns of neutropenia observed in the palbociclib + letrozole arm of the overall safety population. METHODS: Postmenopausal women (n = 165) with ER+, HER2-negative, advanced breast cancer who had not received any systemic treatment for their advanced disease were randomized 1:1 to receive either palbociclib in combination with letrozole or letrozole alone. Treatment continued until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, consent withdrawal, or death. The primary endpoint was PFS. We now analyze the difference in PFS for the treatment populations by subgroups, including age, histological type, history of prior neoadjuvant/adjuvant systemic treatment, and sites of distant metastasis, using the Kaplan-Meier method. HR and 95 % CI are derived from a Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: A clinically meaningful improvement in median PFS and clinical benefit response (CBR) rate was seen with palbociclib + letrozole in every subgroup evaluated. Grade 3-4 neutropenia was the most common AE with palbociclib + letrozole in all subgroups. Analysis of the frequency of neutropenia by grade during the first six cycles of treatment showed that there was a downward trend in Grade 3-4 neutropenia over time. Among those who experienced Grade 3-4 neutropenia, 71.7 % had no overlapping infections of any grade and none had overlapping Grade 3-4 infections. CONCLUSION: The magnitude of clinical benefit seen with the addition of palbociclib to letrozole in improving both median PFS and CBR rate is consistent in nearly all subgroups analyzed, and consistent with that seen in the overall study population. The safety profile of the combination treatment in all subgroups was also comparable to that in the overall safety population of the study.

The cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor palbociclib in combination with letrozole versus letrozole alone as first-line treatment of oestrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative, advanced breast cancer (PALOMA-1/TRIO-18): a randomised phase 2 study.

BACKGROUND: Palbociclib (PD-0332991) is an oral, small-molecule inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) 4 and 6 with preclinical evidence of growth-inhibitory activity in oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells and synergy with anti-oestrogens. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of palbociclib in combination with letrozole as first-line treatment of patients with advanced, oestrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. METHODS: In this open-label, randomised phase 2 study, postmenopausal women with advanced oestrogen receptor-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer who had not received any systemic treatment for their advanced disease were eligible to participate. Patients were enrolled in two separate cohorts that accrued sequentially: in cohort 1, patients were enrolled on the basis of their oestrogen receptor-positive and HER2-negative biomarker status alone, whereas in cohort 2 they were also required to have cancers with amplification of cyclin D1 (CCND1), loss of p16 (INK4A or CDKN2A), or both. In both cohorts, patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via an interactive web-based randomisation system, stratified by disease site and disease-free interval, to receive continuous oral letrozole 2.5 mg daily or continuous oral letrozole 2.5 mg daily plus oral palbociclib 125 mg, given once daily for 3 weeks followed by 1 week off over 28-day cycles. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed progression-free survival in the intention-to-treat population. Accrual to cohort 2 was stopped after an unplanned interim analysis of cohort 1 and the statistical analysis plan for the primary endpoint was amended to a combined analysis of cohorts 1 and 2 (instead of cohort 2 alone). The study is ongoing but closed to accrual; these are the results of the final analysis of progression-free survival. The study is registered with the ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00721409. FINDINGS: Between Dec 22, 2009, and May 12, 2012, we randomly assigned 165 patients, 84 to palbociclib plus letrozole and 81 to letrozole alone. At the time of the final analysis for progression-free survival (median follow-up 29.6 months [95% CI 27.9-36.0] for the palbociclib plus letrozole group and 27.9 months [25.5-31.1] for the letrozole group), 41 progression-free survival events had occurred in the palbociclib plus letrozole group and 59 in the letrozole group. Median progression-free survival was 10.2 months (95% CI 5.7-12.6) for the letrozole group and 20.2 months (13.8-27.5) for the palbociclib plus letrozole group (HR 0.488, 95% CI 0.319-0.748; one-sided p=0.0004). In cohort 1 (n=66), median progression-free survival was 5.7 months (2.6-10.5) for the letrozole group and 26.1 months (11.2-not estimable) for the palbociclib plus letrozole group (HR 0.299, 0.156-0.572; one-sided p<0.0001); in cohort 2 (n=99), median progression-free survival was 11.1 months (7.1-16.4) for the letrozole group and 18.1 months (13.1-27.5) for the palbociclib plus letrozole group (HR 0.508, 0.303-0.853; one-sided p=0.0046). Grade 3-4 neutropenia was reported in 45 (54%) of 83 patients in the palbociclib plus letrozole group versus one (1%) of 77 patients in the letrozole group, leucopenia in 16 (19%) versus none, and fatigue in four (4%) versus one (1%). Serious adverse events that occurred in more than one patient in the palbociclib plus letrozole group were pulmonary embolism (three [4%] patients), back pain (two [2%]), and diarrhoea (two [2%]). No cases of febrile neutropenia or neutropenia-related infections were reported during the study. 11 (13%) patients in the palbociclib plus letrozole group and two (2%) in the letrozole group discontinued the study because of adverse events. INTERPRETATION: The addition of palbociclib to letrozole in this phase 2 study significantly improved progression-free survival in women with advanced oestrogen receptor-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer. A phase 3 trial is currently underway. FUNDING: Pfizer.

[Diabetes in patients with malignant tumors]. / Diabetes daganatos betegségben.

Disturbances of the carbohydrate metabolism are fairly common is patients with malignancy. On the other hand, diabetes appears to have an effect on the development and progression of various tumors. Malignant diseases and the therapies used in their treatment often have an impact on carbohydrate metabolism, while diabetes may hinder specific oncotherapy or influence oncological therapeutic decisions. Several complications of malignant diseases and some of the medications used in their treatment, such as steroids or parenteral nutrition, may raise blood glucose levels. The various obstacles of oral nutrition frequently seen in patients with malignancy can lead to hypoglycaemia in patients with diabetes. Our article endeavours to review the pathophysiological and clinical connection between diabetes and malignant diseases and the use of insulin, oral antidiabetic drugs and diet in patients with malignant disease.

[Clinical use of 18F-FDG PET/CT in colorectal carcinoma]. / 18F-FDG PET/CT klinikai alkalmazása colorectalis carcinomában.

Modern imaging techniques have an important role in the diagnostic procedures of malignancies, and assessing response to therapy. The 18F-FDG PET/CT revolutionized the evaluation of colorectal cancer in terms of preoperative staging and monitoring of recurrence. Conventional imaging techniques have limitations in early assessment of response to therapy. 18F-FDG PET has been shown to allow earlier treatment monitoring, because the metabolic change appears before any anatomic change occurs. The Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) are widely applied, but they have some limitations. There are new international guidelines for treatment response assessment using PET/CT in solid tumours. The authors review indications and the role of hybrid PET/CT in colorectal cancer.

A comparative analysis on the efficacy and safety of intaxel® and taxol® in advanced metastatic breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Among the presently available cytotoxic drugs, paclitaxel, in combination with doxorubicin and carboplatin, come under the highly active therapy for metastatic breast cancer. Between the two brands of paclitaxel (Intaxel, which is marketed by Fresenius Kabi and Taxol, the original paclitaxel which is manufactured by BMS) the similarity has not been evaluated in clinical trial settings till date. This prospective, controlled, randomized, multicentre, open-label phase IV study was planned to compare the safety and efficacy of Intaxel with Taxol, when they were used in combination with carboplatin or doxorubicin, as a second line treatment for metastatic breast cancer. METHODS: Fourty nine eligible patients were randomized to receive Intaxel or Taxol with either doxorubicin or carboplatin. The patients who had received a prior anthracycline based chemotherapy were randomized to the paclitaxel/carboplatin arm. The patients were evaluated in three phases i.e. at baseline, during the treatment and at follow up for the tumour response, the time period till the disease progression and the toxicity. The time till the disease progression was assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method. The continuous and categorical variables were assessed by using the ANOVA test and Fisher's exact test, respectively. RESULTS: After 3 cycles, an objective response rate of 55.56% (CR = 3, PR = 7) was noted in the Intaxel group and that of 59.09% (CR = 1, PR = 12) was noted in the Taxol group. After 6 cycles, an objective response rate of 50% was noted in both the groups. No significant difference was observed in the response rate of the two groups after 3 cycles (p > 0.05) and at the end of the treatment (p > 0.05). The patients who received Intaxel had a lower incidence of thrombocytopaenia (p = 0.0146) and neurosensory loss (p = 0.008) as compared to those who received Taxol. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated that the safety and efficacy of Intaxel and Taxol are equivalent when they are used in combination with other cytotoxic agents as the second line of treatment for metastatic stage IV breast cancer.

Vandetanib with docetaxel as second-line treatment for advanced breast cancer: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized Phase II study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this Phase II study was to assess the efficacy and safety of vandetanib in combination with docetaxel in patients with pretreated advanced breast cancer. METHODS: The primary study objective was to compare the number of progression events in patients receiving once-daily oral vandetanib (100 mg) in combination with docetaxel (100 mg/m(2) iv every 21 days) versus placebo plus docetaxel. Sixty-four patients were randomized to receive study treatment (n = 35, vandetanib; n = 29, placebo). RESULTS: A slightly greater number of patients had experienced a progression event by the data cut-off in the vandetanib group (24 [69%]) compared with the placebo group (18 [62%]); HR = 1.19, two-sided 80% CI: 0.79-1.81; two-sided P = 0.59), suggesting that the addition of vandetanib to docetaxel did not affect the risk of disease progression compared with placebo plus docetaxel. The safety and tolerability profile of the combination therapy reflected those of both drugs as monotherapy agents. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with advanced breast cancer, vandetanib plus docetaxel was generally well tolerated. Clinical benefit was not different to that observed with placebo plus docetaxel. However, due to the small patient number it was not possible to yield robust results, further research is required to identify predictive factors for patient selection.