Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Trastuzumab combined with chemotherapy for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer: pivotal trial data.
A pivotal, randomized, multicenter, phase III trial was conducted to compare chemotherapy in combination with trastuzumab (Herceptin) vs. chemotherapy (anthracycline plus cyclophosphamide [AC] or paclitaxel) alone as first-line treatment for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Results from a total of 469 patients, randomized to receive either chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy plus trastuzumab, revealed that the addition of trastuzumab improved time to disease progression significantly (7.6 vs. 4.6 months. P = 0.0001) compared with chemotherapy alone. ⋯ Patients receiving combination therapy also had a greater overall response rate (49% vs. 32%, P = 0.0002) and a longer median response duration (9.3 vs. 5.9 months, P = 0.0001) than those who received chemotherapy alone. Most importantly, median follow-up of 29 months revealed a significantly increased median survival in patients receiving trastuzumab plus chemotherapy (25.4 vs. 20.3 months, P < 0.025) compared with those receiving chemotherapy alone. Trastuzumab plus chemotherapy was well tolerated; adverse events were typically mild-to-moderate chills and fever and occurred in approximately 40% of patients, primarily following the first administration only.
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Following the pivotal clinical trials of trastuzumab (Herceptin), further phase II and III studies have been initiated. Preliminary results from a phase II, dose-response study of single-agent trastuzumab in 113 HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients without prior chemotherapy for stage IV disease have shown that the overall response rate was 23% (six complete responses and 20 partial responses), with similar results using both standard- and high-dose regimens of trastuzumab. Another phase II study of trastuzumab plus paclitaxel, both given weekly, in 63 HER2-positive and -negative patients with metastatic breast cancer produced an overall response rate of 62% in HER2-positive and 44% in HER2-negative patients. ⋯ These include docetaxel +/- trastuzumab, aromatase inhibitor +/- trastuzumab, CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil) +/- trastuzumab, vinorelbine + trastuzumab, all in HER2-positive patients, and epirubicin-cyclophosphamide (EC) + trastuzumab in HER2-positive patients vs. EC alone in HER2-negative patients. The results from these trials should be available over the next one to two years.
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Human epidermal growth factor receptors (HER/erbB) constitute a family of four cell surface receptors involved in transmission of signals controlling normal cell growth and differentiation. A range of growth factors serve as ligands, but none is specific for the HER2 receptor. HER receptors exist as both monomers and dimers, either homo- or heterodimers. ⋯ This explains why HER2 overexpression is an indicator of poor prognosis in breast tumors and may be predictive of response to treatment. HER2 is a highly specific and promising target for new breast cancer treatments. The recombinant human anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody (rhuMAb-HER2, trastuzumab, Herceptin) induces rapid removal of HER2 from the cell surface, thereby reducing its availability to heterodimers and reducing oncogenicity.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence of a combined oral formulation of eniluracil, an inactivator of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase, and 5-fluorouracil in patients with advanced solid malignancies.
This study was performed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, bioequivalence, and feasibility of a combined oral formulation of 5-flurouracil (5-FU) and eniluracil (Glaxo Wellcome Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carolina), an inactivator of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD). The rationale for developing a combined eniluracil/5-FU formulation oral dosing form is to simplify treatment with these agents, which has been performed using separate dosing forms, and decrease the probability of severe toxicity and/or suboptimal therapeutic results caused by inadvertently high or conversely insufficient 5-FU dosing. ⋯ The pharmacokinetics of 5-FU and eniluracil were similar and met bioequivalence criteria following treatment with the separate oral formulations of 5-FU and eniluracil and two strengths of the combined formulation. The availability of a combined eniluracil/5-FU oral dosing form will likely simplify dosing and decrease the probability of severe toxicity or suboptimal therapeutic results caused by an inadvertent 5-FU overdose or insufficient 5-FU dosing in the case of separate oral formulations, thereby enhancing the overall feasibility and 0therapeutic index of oral 5-FU therapy.