Nanoparticle-based Paclitaxel vs Solvent-based Paclitaxel as Part of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Early Breast Cancer (GeparSepto)

Summary

Current guidelines as those from the AGO-Breast commission recommend for neoadjuvant breast cancer patients either a sequence of 4 cycles EC followed by 4 cycles of a taxane or 6 cycles of TAC based on previous large scale studies. Treatment of patients with HER2-positive disease should include also simultaneous application of trastuzumab. Solvent-based taxanes (paclitaxel, docetaxel) cause severe toxicities not only by the active agents itself but also by the solvents like cremophor. Nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane®) is a solvent-free formulation of paclitaxel encapsulated in albumin. It does not require premedication with corticosteroids or antihistamines to prevent the risk of solvent-mediated hypersensitivity reactions. This new formulation improves safety profile, allows higher dosing with shorter infusion duration, and produces higher tumor drug concentration. As neoadjuvant treatment does not only allow to compare competing treatment approaches with a very high quality (homogenous treatment population, precise assessment of response by histological assessment), but also to identify predictive markers, this trial will compare weekly nab-paclitaxel with solvent-based paclitaxel at their currently optimal doses. In case of HER2-positive tumor status patients receive Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab additionally.

Timeline

Start

2012-07

Primary completion

2018-12

Completion

2018-12

Outcome

Met primary endpoint

paper Pathological complete response occurred more frequently in the nab-paclitaxel group (233 [38%, 95% CI 35-42] patients) than in the solvent-based PMID 26869049 ↗

paper 174 [29%, 25-33] patients; OR 1·53, 95% CI 1·20-1·95; unadjusted p=0·00065). PMID 26869049 ↗

paper Substituting solvent-based paclitaxel with nab-paclitaxel significantly increases the proportion of patients achieving a pathological complete response rate after anthracycline-based chemotherapy. PMID 26869049 ↗

Publications

• Background Loibl S, von Minckwitz G, Schneeweiss A, Paepke S, Lehmann A, Rezai M, Zahm DM, Sinn P, Khandan F, Eidtmann H, Dohnal K, Heinrichs C, Huober J, Pfitzner B, Fasching PA, Andre F, Lindner JL, Sotiriou C, Dykgers A, Guo S, Gade S, Nekljudova V, Loi S, Untch M, Denkert C. PIK3CA mutations are associated with lower rates of pathologic complete response to anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (her2) therapy in primary HER2-overexpressing breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2014 Oct 10;32(29):3212-20. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2014.55.7876. Epub 2014 Sep 8.
• Background Huober J, von Minckwitz G, Denkert C, Tesch H, Weiss E, Zahm DM, Belau A, Khandan F, Hauschild M, Thomssen C, Hogel B, Darb-Esfahani S, Mehta K, Loibl S. Effect of neoadjuvant anthracycline-taxane-based chemotherapy in different biological breast cancer phenotypes: overall results from the GeparTrio study. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2010 Nov;124(1):133-40. doi: 10.1007/s10549-010-1103-9. Epub 2010 Aug 10.
• Background Gradishar WJ, Krasnojon D, Cheporov S, Makhson AN, Manikhas GM, Clawson A, Bhar P. Significantly longer progression-free survival with nab-paclitaxel compared with docetaxel as first-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2009 Aug 1;27(22):3611-9. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2008.18.5397. Epub 2009 May 26.
• Results Untch M, Jackisch C, Schneeweiss A, Conrad B, Aktas B, Denkert C, Eidtmann H, Wiebringhaus H, Kummel S, Hilfrich J, Warm M, Paepke S, Just M, Hanusch C, Hackmann J, Blohmer JU, Clemens M, Darb-Esfahani S, Schmitt WD, Dan Costa S, Gerber B, Engels K, Nekljudova V, Loibl S, von Minckwitz G; German Breast Group (GBG); Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynakologische Onkologie-Breast (AGO-B) Investigators. Nab-paclitaxel versus solvent-based paclitaxel in neoadjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer (GeparSepto-GBG 69): a randomised, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2016 Mar;17(3):345-356. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(15)00542-2. Epub 2016 Feb 8.
• Fasching PA, Szeto C, Denkert C, Benz S, Weber K, Spilman P, Budczies J, Schneeweiss A, Stickeler E, Schmatloch S, Jackisch C, Karn T, Sinn HP, Warm M, van Mackelenbergh M, Rabizadeh S, Schem C, Heinmoller E, Mueller V, Marme F, Soon-Shiong P, Nekljudova V, Untch M, Loibl S. Inferred Immune-Cell Activity Is an Independent Predictor of HER2-Negative Breast Cancer Prognosis and Response to Paclitaxel-Based Therapy in the GeparSepto Trial. Clin Cancer Res. 2023 Jul 5;29(13):2456-2465. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-22-2213.
• Denkert C, Seither F, Schneeweiss A, Link T, Blohmer JU, Just M, Wimberger P, Forberger A, Tesch H, Jackisch C, Schmatloch S, Reinisch M, Solomayer EF, Schmitt WD, Hanusch C, Fasching PA, Lubbe K, Solbach C, Huober J, Rhiem K, Marme F, Reimer T, Schmidt M, Sinn BV, Janni W, Stickeler E, Michel L, Stotzer O, Hahnen E, Furlanetto J, Seiler S, Nekljudova V, Untch M, Loibl S. Clinical and molecular characteristics of HER2-low-positive breast cancer: pooled analysis of individual patient data from four prospective, neoadjuvant clinical trials. Lancet Oncol. 2021 Aug;22(8):1151-1161. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(21)00301-6. Epub 2021 Jul 9.
• Furlanetto J, Jackisch C, Untch M, Schneeweiss A, Schmatloch S, Aktas B, Denkert C, Wiebringhaus H, Kummel S, Warm M, Paepke S, Just M, Hanusch C, Hackmann J, Blohmer JU, Clemens M, Costa SD, Gerber B, Nekljudova V, Loibl S, von Minckwitz G. Efficacy and safety of nab-paclitaxel 125 mg/m2 and nab-paclitaxel 150 mg/m2 compared to paclitaxel in early high-risk breast cancer. Results from the neoadjuvant randomized GeparSepto study (GBG 69). Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2017 Jun;163(3):495-506. doi: 10.1007/s10549-017-4200-1. Epub 2017 Mar 17.

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