The efficacy of lapatinib in metastatic breast cancer with HER2 non-amplified primary tumors and EGFR positive circulating tumor cells: a proof-of-concept study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) provides real-time measures of cancer sub-populations with potential for CTC-directed therapeutics. We examined whether lapatinib which binds both HER2 and EGFR could induce depletion of the EGFR-positive pool of CTCs, which may in turn lead to clinical benefits.

Patients and methods

Patients with metastatic breast cancer and HER2 non-amplified primary tumors with EGFR-positive CTCs were recruited and lapatinib 1500 mg daily was administered, in a standard two step phase 2 trial.

Results

There were no responses leading to termination at the first analysis with 16 patients recruited out of 43 screened. In 6 out of 14 (43%) individuals eligible for the efficacy analysis, a decrease in CTCs was observed with most of t

SUBMITTER: Stebbing J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3647066 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature