A Researcher's Perspective: Myths & Facts about Triple Negative Breast Cancer - Dr. Suzanne Fuqua & Dr. Julie Nangia - 7th Annual Breast Health Summit
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1) Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) lacks expression of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2, making targeted therapy difficult. 2) Researchers are working to identify molecular targets in TNBC to develop new targeted therapies through preclinical studies and clinical trials. 3) New potential targets being studied in clinical trials include BRCA mutations, EGFR, AR, SRC kinases, and nuclear receptors. Identification of targets what TNBC "does have" offers hope for improved treatments.
A Researcher's Perspective: Myths & Facts about Triple Negative Breast Cancer - Dr. Suzanne Fuqua & Dr. Julie Nangia - 7th Annual Breast Health Summit
- 1. A Researcher’s Perspective: Myths and Facts About Triple Negative Breast Cancer Suzanne AW Fuqua, PhD and Julie Nangia, M.D. Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center Baylor College of Medicine Houston, Tx sfuqua@bcm.edu; nangia@bcm.edu
- 2. Breast Cancer Begins in Cells Within the Terminal Ducts =“Luminal” =“Basal” From NIH Website
- 3. Breast Tumor Molecular Subtypes “Basal”= ER- “Luminal”= Estrogen Receptor (ER)+ “HER2”+ Nature, 2000, Perou et al.
- 4. Molecular Subtypes • Luminal: High expression of ER, the estrogen-regulated progesterone receptor (PR), and cytokeratins 8 and 18 (none overexpress HER2). Longest disease-free survival. • HER2: Overexpress this oncogene and other genes which are co-amplified with it. Some may also express low levels of ER. • Basal: Do not express ER or PR. Express cytokeratins 5, 6, and 17. Significantly shorter survival times. “Triple negative” is a subset of Basal (12-24% of all breast cancers) that does not express ER, PR, or HER2.
- 5. Breast Cancer Subtype #1: Luminal ER+
- 6. Growth Factor-ER Crosstalk is a Vicious Circle Proliferation Factor (Cells grow abnormally) ER HER2 Growth Survival Factor Factors (Keep cells from dying) (Blood)
- 7. Cases Julie Nangia, MD Assistant Professor Lester & Sue Smith Breast Center Baylor College of Medicine Patient LT: ER+ Breast Cancer
- 8. Pt LT: Initial Presentation • 74yo African American woman • Medical History hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, heart disease • Surgical History CABG, cholecystectomy • Social History No tobacco or alcohol, married, retired • Allergies none • Medications Pravastatin, toprol-XL, zestril, glyburide, metformin, norvasc, aspirin, actos • Family History No cancers
- 9. Pt LT: Diagnosis • Screening mammogram Indeterminate calcifications left breast, new LNs left axilla rec additional views/bx • Left diagnostic mammogram Heterogeneous calcifications in the inferior left breast, rec biopsy and US • Breast US Left Axilla Multiple enlarged LNs largest 2.7cm • Biopsy Left Axilla LN = metastatic carcinoma, ER 8/8, PR 2/8, Her2-
- 10. Pt LT: Examination & Staging • Exam Breasts • Right: no masses, skin or nipple changes • Left: 5 x 5cm mass in the upper outer quadrant • Lymph nodes: 2cm left axilla LN Otherwise exam was normal • Staging Work-up Bone scan • NED CXR • Nodular denisity left lower lung CT chest • NED, no nodules
- 11. Pt LT: Treatment Clinical Trial Anastrazole Day 28 Anastrazole Day 112 R A Eligible N SURGERY Day 140 Women Day 0 D Safety O Follow -Up M I Anastrazole Anastrazole Z Fulvestrant Day 28 Fulvestrant Day E (High dose) (High dose) 112 Breast core Breast core Surgical biopsy #1 biopsy #2 Specimen
- 12. Pt LT: Treatment • Randomized to anastrozole + fulvestrant which she received for 140 days • Left breast mass disappeared & left axilla LN was smaller • Left mastectomy No remaining invasive carcinoma 6/23 LN+ ER 5/8, PR 0, Her2- • Radiation therapy • Anastrzole (ArimidexTM) for total of 5 years
- 13. Is ER a Useful Target? Yes Expression of ER predicts a better outcome Adjuvant therapy (treatment after surgery/radiation) — 40-50% reduction in recurrence. Metastatic disease (treatment after recurrence) — 30-50% clinical benefit. However, incomplete cross-resistance can develop which necessitates sequential hormonal therapies.
- 14. Established Endocrine Therapy Two pharmacological strategies • Antiestrogens Tamoxifen (NolvadexTM) Fulvestrant (FaslodexTM) • Aromatase inhibitors Anastrazole (ArimidexTM) Letrozole (FemaraTM) Exemestane (AromasinTM).
- 15. Antiestrogen Therapy • Reduces recurrence by 1/2, death by 1/3 • Benefit is continuing out to 15 years after 5 years of tamoxifen • Tamoxifen blocks estrogen binding, but fulvestrant also causes ER loss • Fulvestrant has not proven better than tamoxifen, maybe due to poor metabolism. • Clinical trials now are evaluating higher doses of fulvestrant.
- 16. Tamoxifen Saves Lives Recurrence Mortality Lancet 2005, EBCTCG
- 17. The Future: Hormonal Therapy + Targeted Therapy X IGFR HER2 PI3 Kinase Cbl GRB2 SOS Ras p85 p110 Raf AKT MAPK MEK mTOR p70SK6 pp90rsk Translation S6 P P X Basal ER ER CoA CBP Transcription Machinery DNA Proliferation
- 18. Breast Cancer Subtype #2: HER2+
- 19. HER2 Targeted Therapy • Membrane protein overexpressed in 15-20% of breast cancers. • Before targeted therapy was associated with poor prognosis. • Target with antibodies (trastuzumab/pertuzumab) and receptor enzyme inhibitors (lapatinib). • Clinical trials combining these +/- chemotherapy are underway. So far dual anti-HER2 therapy appears better.
- 20. Cases Julie Nangia, MD PATIENT MB: HER2+ BREAST CANCER
- 21. Pt MB: Initial Presentation • 43yo woman • Past Medical History none • Surgical History none • Social History No alcohol or tobacco, married • Family History No FH cancers • Allergies none • Medications none
- 22. Pt MB: Diagnosis • Pt felt a mass in her left breast • Diagnostic bilateral mammogram 3.5cm lobulated mass left breast at 12:00 • Biopsy Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma Grade 3 ER-, PR-, HER2+
- 23. Pt MB: Examination & Staging • Examination Breasts • Right: No masses, skin or nipple changes. • Left: 4 x 4cm mass superior of the nipple at 12:00 • Lymph Nodes: no axillary LN bilaterally • Staging Bone Scan • NED CXR • NED
- 24. Pt MB: Treatment Lapatinib + Trastuzumab +/- Letrozole
- 25. Pt MB: Treatment • Placed on the study and received 12 weeks of traztuzumab + lapatnib • Left mastectomy Pathologic Complete Response!!! No residual cancer in the breast 0/4 LN+
- 26. Why Dual HER2 Targeted Therapy is Better: The Cancer is “Addicted” to HER2 Stimulation! Dominant pathway Weakest pathway Escape pathway Signaling BCRT, 2011, Ahn and Vogel
- 27. The Future: The Yin-Yang of HER-2 Targeted Therapy With ER IGFR HER2 PI3 Kinase Cbl GRB2 SOS Ras p85 p110 Raf AKT MAPK MEK mTOR p70SK6 pp90rsk Translation S6 P P Basal ER ER CoA CBP Transcription Machinery DNA Proliferation
- 28. Breast Cancer Subtype #3: Triple Negative (TN) = ER-/PR-/HER2-
- 29. Clinical Problem • ~25% of breast cancers are ER-negative. • Unfortunately, these patients are still being treated with chemotherapy which does not cure all patients. • Goal is to identify molecular targets that control cancer cell growth. • At the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center and Ben Taub clinic, we see 1200 patient visits; 120 new cases are TN.
- 30. Clinical Features of TN Tumors Patient char. Younger age at diagnosis African origin BRCA1 carrier Tumor char. Ductal invasive cancer High grade Negative for ER, PR, HER2 Elevated mitotic count Tumor necrosis Pushing margin of invasion Larger tumor size Axillary nodal involvement Treatment/Prognosis Chemosensitive Few targets Poorer prognosis (trend to relapse first 3 yrs.) Aggressive relapse Cancer Treatment Reviews, 2010, Bosch et al.
- 31. Cases Julie Nangia, MD PATIENT RO: METASTATIC TN BREAST CANCER
- 32. Treatment of TN BC • No targeted therapy • Unless <1cm give chemotherapy containing an anthracycline and taxane • Typical treatment is 8 cycles of chemotherapy • No markers to predict prognosis • More likely to recur than other subtypes • If a patient has a pathologic CR they do better!
- 33. Pt RO: Initial Presentation • African American with a history of breast cancer • s/p right lumpectomy • Infiltrating ductal carcinoma 3.5cm • ER-, PR-, HER2- • 0/8 LN+ • Received chemotherapy • AC x 4, Taxotere x 4 • Received Radiation • Then 3 years later…
- 34. Pt RO: Recurrence • Goes to the hospital short of breath • CT chest • Multiple bilateral pulmonary lung nodules • Mediastinal LAD • Right pleural effusion • CT abdomen/pelvis • + bone involvement, no additional disease • Bone Scan • + bone involvement diffusely • Biopsy of lung nodule • Metastatic adenocarcinoma consistent with breast cancer
- 35. Pt RO: Treatment No Gemcitabine Metastatic prior + Triple therapy Carboplatin Negative Randomized Breast Prior Gemcitabine Cancer Therapy + Carboplatin + BSI-201
- 36. Pt RO: Treatment • Started on the BiPar study with gemcitabine, carboplatin, and PARP inhibitor • Was stable on this for 1.5 years but then had to go off study because her low blood counts • Unfortunately she has recently progressed and is currently on another clinical trial
- 37. New Hope: PARP Inhibitors • TN BC has clinical-pathological similarites with BRCA-mutation bc which have a “broken” type of DNA repair. • PARP’s are a family of enzymes involved in DNA repair. • Hypothesis: preventing DNA repair via PARP inhibitors, in combination with the loss of DNA repair, will kill the tumor!
- 38. PARP Inhibitors: Preclinical Data Supported the Hypothesis But Clinical Data Does Not! Unfortunately no significant benefits of PARPi over chemotherapy alone to date Clinical Cancer Research, 2010, Anders et al.
- 39. New Potential Targets in TN Cancers: Ongoing Clinical Trials • BRCA+ (PARPi) • EGFR+ (Cetuximab, Gefitinib, Lapatinib) • AR+ (Casodex, Abiraterone Acetate) • SRC family of kinases+ (Dasatinib) • Nuclear receptors (Various antagonists) Funded by Susan G Komen for the Cure, Texas CPRIT, and Pharmaceutical Industry
- 40. Summary and Clinical Implications The Myth: TN breast cancer is defined by what is does NOT have (ER-/PR-/HER2-) The Fact: We are defining TN by what it DOES have! New targeted therapies for TN BC will result from funded preclinical studies and your active participation in clinical trials! Suzanne Fuqua, PhD Julie Nangia, M.D.