Interesting Article: Her2 - tumors respond to new treatments

neugirl

Hi ladies,

A bc sister and dear friend forwarded this article to me this morning. i am Her 2 Negative (+1) and it is indeed an interesting article. I am curious about the implications of this news and if any of you have heard that now some Her2 Negative tumors do indeed respond to Her2 Positive treatments.

Here is the article:

http://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/topic10625_post108482.html#108482

Your thoughts and insight would be much appreciated. Thanks!

neugirl

i am curious as to how a Her2 negative person can be tested to see if they have BCSCs (Her2positive stem cells) even if their tumors are Her2 negative? It seems this is all very new (and they are conducting a clinical trial) but certainly if this is the truth it should be put into practice immediately to save more lives and prevent more recurrences.  

voraciousreader

http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/featured/trials/NSABP-B-47

Above is the link for the trial for giving Herceptin to Low Her 2  patients.

This is the criteria to get into the trial:

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• The tumor must be unilateral invasive adenocarcinoma of the breast on histologic examination

• All of the following staging criteria (according to the 7th edition of the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual) must be met:

• By pathologic evaluation, primary tumor must be pT1-3

• By pathologic evaluation, ipsilateral nodes must be pN0, pN1 (pN1mi, pN1a, pN1b,pN1c), pN2a, pN2b, pN3a, or pN3b

• If pN0, one of the following criteria must be met:

• pT2 and estrogen receptor (ER) negative and progesterone receptor (PgR) negative

• pT2 and ER positive (PgR status may be positive or negative) and either grade 3histology or Oncotype DX® Recurrence Score of ≥ 25; or

• pT3 regardless of hormone receptor status, histologic grade, and Oncotype DX Recurrence Score

• No T4 tumors including inflammatory breast cancer

• No definitive clinical or radiologic evidence of metastatic disease

• NOTE: Chest imaging (mandatory for all patients) and other imaging (if required) must have been performed within 90 days prior to randomization

• No synchronous or previous contralateral invasive breast cancer (patients with synchronous and/or previous contralateral DCIS or LCIS are eligible)

• No previous ipsilateral invasive breast cancer or ipsilateral DCIS (patients with synchronous or previous ipsilateral LCIS are eligible)

• HER2 status of the primary tumor must be evaluated prior to randomization; all testing performed must indicate that the tumor is HER2-low as defined below

• IHC must be performed and the IHC staining results must indicate a score of 1+ (in situ hybridization [ISH] testing is not required) or 2+ (ISH must also be performed and must indicate that the tumor is HER2-low as described below)

• If ISH testing is performed, test results must be as follows and IHC must be 1+ or 2+: The ratio of HER2 to CEP17 must be < 2.0 or, if a ratio was not performed, the HER2 gene copy number must be < 4 per nucleus

• Note: If the IHC staining intensity is reported as a range, e.g., 0 to 1+ or 1+ to 2+, the higher intensity score in the range should be used to determine eligibility

• No primary tumor with any of the following HER2 testing results:

• IHC staining intensity:

• 0 on all evaluations of specimens

• 3+ on evaluation of any specimen

• ISH with a ratio of HER2 to CEP17 >= 2.0 on evaluation of any specimen

• ISH result indicating HER2 gene copy number >= 4 per nucleus on evaluation of any specimen

• The patient must have undergone either a total mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy) (patients who have had a nipple-sparing mastectomy are eligible)

• For patients who undergo lumpectomy, the margins of the resected specimen must be histologically free of invasive tumor and DCIS as determined by the local pathologist; if pathologic examination demonstrates tumor at the line of resection, additional operative procedures may be performed to obtain clear margins; if tumor is still present at the resected margin after re-excision(s), the patient must undergo total mastectomy to be eligible (patients with margins positive for LCIS are eligible without additional resection)

• For patients who undergo mastectomy, margins must be free of gross residual tumor(patients with microscopic positive margins are eligible as long as post-mastectomy RT of the chest wall will be administered)

• The interval between the last surgery for breast cancer (treatment or staging) and randomization must be no more than 84 days

• The patient must have completed one of the procedures for evaluation of pathologic nodal status listed below:

• Sentinel lymphadenectomy alone:

• If pathologic nodal staging based on sentinel lymphadenectomy is pN0 or pN1b

• If pathologic nodal staging based on sentinel lymphadenectomy is pN1mi or pN1a, the primary tumor must be T1 or T2 by pathologic evaluation and the nodal involvement must be limited to 1 or 2 positive nodes

• Sentinel lymphadenectomy followed by removal of additional non-sentinel lymph nodes if the sentinel node (SN) is positive

• Axillary lymphadenectomy with or without SN isolation procedures

• The patient must have ER analysis performed on the primary tumor prior to randomization; if ER analysis is negative, then PgR analysis must also be performed (either the core biopsy or surgical resection specimen can be used for ER/PgR testing); patients with a primary tumor that is hormone receptor-positive or receptor-negative are eligible

• Pre- or postmenopausal

• ECOG performance status of 0 or 1

• ANC must be ≥ 1,200/mm^3

• Platelet count must be ≥ 100,000/mm^3

• Hemoglobin must be ≥ 10 g/dL

• Total bilirubin must be ≤ ULN for the lab unless the patient has a bilirubin elevation > ULN to 1.5 x ULN due to Gilbert disease or similar syndrome involving slow conjugation of bilirubin

• Alkaline phosphatase must be ≤ 2.5 x ULN for the lab

• AST must be ≤ 1.5 x ULN for the lab (if ALT is performed instead of AST [per institution's standard practice], the ALT value must be ≤ 1.5 x ULN; if both were performed, the AST must be ≤ 1.5 x ULN)

• Alkaline phosphatase and AST may not both be > the ULN

• Patients with AST or alkaline phosphatase > ULN are eligible for inclusion in the study if liver imaging (CT, MRI, PET-CT, or PET scan) performed within 90 days prior to randomization does not demonstrate metastatic disease and the above requirements are met

• Patients with alkaline phosphatase that is > ULN but ≤ 2.5 x ULN or unexplained bone pain are eligible for inclusion in the study if a bone scan, PET-CT scan, or PET scan performed within 90 days prior to randomization does not demonstrate metastatic disease

• The most recent post operative serum creatinine performed within 6 weeks prior to randomization must be ≤ ULN for the lab

• Not pregnant or nursing

• Negative pregnancy test

• LVEF assessment must be performed within 90 days prior to randomization; LVEF assessment performed by 2-D echo cardiogram is preferred, however, MUGA scan maybe substituted based on institutional preferences

• For patients who will receive the TC chemotherapy regimen, the LVEF must be≥ 50% regardless of the cardiac-imaging facility's lower limit of normal

• For patients who will receive the AC→WP chemotherapy regimen, the LVEF must be ≥ 55% regardless of the cardiac-imaging facility's lower limit of normal

• NOTE: Since the pre-entry LVEF serves as the baseline for comparing subsequent LVEF assessments, it is critical that this baseline study be an accurate assessment. If the baseline LVEF is > 70%, the investigator is encouraged to have the accuracy of the initial LVEF result confirmed and repeat the test if the accuracy is uncertain.

• No history of non-breast malignancies (except for in situ cancers treated only by local excision and basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin) within 5 years prior to randomization

• No cardiac disease (history of and/or active disease) that would preclude the use of the drugs included in the treatment regimens, including, but not limited to:

• Active cardiac disease:

• Angina pectoris that requires the current use of anti-anginal medication

• Ventricular arrhythmias except for benign premature ventricular contractions

• Supraventricular and nodal arrhythmias requiring a pacemaker or not controlled with medication

• Conduction abnormality requiring a pacemaker

• Valvular disease with documented compromise in cardiac function

• Symptomatic pericarditis

• History of cardiac disease:

• Myocardial infarction documented by elevated cardiac enzymes or persistent regional wall abnormalities on assessment of LV function

• History of documented CHF

• Documented cardiomyopathy

• No hypertension defined according to the following ineligibility criteria:

• For patients who will receive TC (regardless of the patient's age): uncontrolled hypertension defined as sustained systolic BP > 150 mm Hg or diastolic BP > 90 mm Hg (patients with initial BP elevations are eligible if initiation or adjustment of BP medication lowers pressure to meet entry criteria)

• For patients < 50 years old who will receive AC→WP: uncontrolled hypertension defined as sustained systolic BP > 150 mm Hg or diastolic BP > 90 mm Hg (patients with initial BP elevations are eligible if initiation or adjustment of BP medication lowers pressure to meet entry criteria)

• For patients ≥ 50 years old who will receive AC→WP: uncontrolled hypertension defined as sustained systolic BP > 150 mm Hg or diastolic BP > 90 mm Hg OR controlled hypertension (systolic BP ≤ 150 mm Hg and diastolic BP ≤ 90 mmHg), if anti-hypertensive medication(s) are needed

• NOTE: Patients who are not eligible based on the AC→WP regimen BP criteria but who meet the TC regimen BP criteria are eligible for B-47 if the intended chemotherapy regimen is changed to TC

• No active hepatitis B or hepatitis C with abnormal liver function tests

• No intrinsic lung disease resulting in dyspnea

• No poorly controlled diabetes mellitus

• No active infection or chronic infection requiring chronic suppressive antibiotics

• No nervous system disorder (paresthesia, peripheral motor neuropathy, or peripheral sensory neuropathy) ≥ grade 2, per the CTCAE v4.0

• No conditions that would prohibit administration of corticosteroids

• No known hypersensitivity to any of the study drugs or excipients, e.g., polysorbate 80 and Cremophor® EL

• No other non-malignant systemic disease that would preclude the patient from receiving study treatment or would prevent required follow-up

• No psychiatric or addictive disorders or other conditions that, in the opinion of the investigator, would preclude the patient from meeting the study requirements

• Concurrent participation in NSABP-B-39 allowed

• No previous therapy with anthracyclines, taxanes, or trastuzumab for any malignancy

• No chemotherapy or HER2-targeted therapy administered for the currently diagnosed breast cancer prior to randomization

• No whole-breast RT prior to randomization or partial-breast RT that cannot be completed on or before the date of randomization

• No use of any investigational product within 30 days prior to randomization

• No continued endocrine therapy such as raloxifene or tamoxifen (or other SERM) or an aromatase inhibitor (patients are eligible if these medications are discontinued prior to randomization)

• No continued use of sex hormonal therapy, e.g., birth control pills, ovarian hormone replacement therapy (patients are eligible if these medications are discontinued prior to randomization)

• No chronic daily treatment with corticosteroids with a dose of ≥ 10 mg/day methylprednisol one equivalent (excluding inhaled steroids)

• No other concurrent chemotherapy

• No other concurrent targeted therapy for malignancy

• No partial-breast irradiation following randomization

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It is a VERY promising study AND trial....and it's great that the clinical trial is already in progress since it might shed light on whether or not low Her 2 patients might benefit from Herceptin.  If you look carefully at the criteria for entering the trial, they are being very careful NOT to include those with EXCELLENT prognostics.  Keep in mind that the study you are referring to, just identified what they think is a marker that might hint at more aggressive cells that MIGHT respond favorably to Herceptin.  This is great news because hopefully they will be able to identify those patients who might benefit from more aggressive treatment.  Keep in mind, many of these drugs, including Herceptin come with risks, so the trade off would be unknown for quite some time.