new ASCO clinicalpractice guidelines for Stage IV her2+ breast cancer

[Lani]

OPEN ACCESS: Systemic Therapy for Patients With Advanced Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive Breast Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline
[Journal of Clinical Oncology]

Purpose: To provide evidence-based recommendations to practicing oncologists and others on systemic therapy for patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) -positive advanced breast cancer.

Methods: The American Society of Clinical Oncology convened a panel of medical oncology, radiation oncology, guideline implementation, and advocacy experts and conducted a systematic literature review from January 2009 to October 2012. Outcomes of interest included overall survival, progression-free survival (PFS), and adverse events.

Results: A total of 16 trials met the systematic review criteria. The CLEOPATRA trial found survival and PFS benefits for docetaxel, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab in first-line treatment, and the EMILIA trial found survival and PFS benefits for trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) in second-line treatment. T-DM1 also showed a third-line PFS benefit. One trial reported on duration of HER2-targeted therapy, and three others reported on endocrine therapy for patients with HER-positive advanced breast cancer.

Recommendations: HER2-targeted therapy is recommended for patients with HER2-positive advanced breast cancer, except for those with clinical congestive heart failure or significantly compromised left ventricular ejection fraction, who should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and taxane for first-line treatment and T-DM1 for second-line treatment are recommended. In the third-line setting, clinicians should offer other HER2-targeted therapy combinations or T-DM1 (if not previously administered) and may offer pertuzumab, if the patient has not previously received it. Optimal duration of chemotherapy is at least 4 to 6 months or until maximum response, depending on toxicity and in the absence of progression. HER2-targeted therapy can continue until time of progression or unacceptable toxicities. For patients with HER2-positive and estrogen receptor-positive/progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer, clinicians may recommend either standard first-line therapy or, for selected patients, endocrine therapy plus HER2-targeted therapy or endocrine therapy alone.

[NOTE: For the full paper, please follow the supplied link.]

OPEN ACCESS: Recommendations on Disease Management for Patients With Advanced Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive Breast Cancer and Brain Metastases: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline
[Journal of Clinical Oncology]

Purpose: To provide formal expert consensus-based recommendations to practicing oncologists and others on the management of brain metastases for patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) -positive advanced breast cancer.

Methods: The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) convened a panel of medical oncology, radiation oncology, guideline implementation, and advocacy experts and conducted a systematic review of the literature. When that failed to yield sufficiently strong quality evidence, the Expert Panel undertook a formal expert consensus-based process to produce these recommendations. ASCO used a modified Delphi process. The panel members drafted recommendations, and a group of other experts joined them for two rounds of formal ratings of the recommendations.

Results: No studies or existing guidelines met the systematic review criteria; therefore, ASCO conducted a formal expert consensus-based process.

Recommendations: Patients with brain metastases should receive appropriate local therapy and systemic therapy, if indicated. Local therapies include surgery, whole-brain radiotherapy, and stereotactic radiosurgery. Treatments depend on factors such as patient prognosis, presence of symptoms, resectability, number and size of metastases, prior therapy, and whether metastases are diffuse. Other options include systemic therapy, best supportive care, enrollment onto a clinical trial, and/or palliative care. Clinicians should not perform routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to screen for brain metastases, but rather should have a low threshold for MRI of the brain because of the high incidence of brain metastases among patients with HER2-positive advanced breast cancer.

[mamacze]

So this is the new ASCO blessed treatment protocols for our oncologists…it is interesting to see the direction they are going in. I was surprised to see there was no comment on any special treatments for tumors with genetic mutations; like pi3K. Also I am troubled to see they recommend NOT performing routine MRI’s to screen for brain mets. We have so many members - like StephN who would not be alive today if she wasn’t screened.

[Adriana Mangus]

Totally agree with Mamacze. What is in it for us?

it seems doctors are more concerned with newly diagnosed patients and the availability of these newly drugs for these type of patients in order to avoid a recurrence. I feel the industry has forgotten about the hundreds of patients like me, with a metastatic disease.