Relationship between tumor biomarkers and efficacy in MARIANNE, a phase III study of trastuzumab emtansine ± pertuzumab versus trastuzumab plus taxane in HER2-positive advanced breast cancer.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The phase III EMILIA and TH3RESA trials demonstrated clinical benefits of trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) therapy in patients with previously treated HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Data from these and other trials showed that T-DM1-associated survival benefits were observed across biomarker subgroups tested in these trials. Prespecified, exploratory analyses of the phase III MARIANNE study examined the effects of HER2-related biomarkers on PFS in patients administered T-DM1 in the first-line MBC setting.

METHODS:

In MARIANNE, patients with previously untreated HER2-positive MBC were randomized (1:1:1) to trastuzumab plus taxane, T-DM1 plus placebo, or T-DM1 plus pertuzumab. Biomarker subgroups included HER2 and HER3 mRNA expression levels (≤median vs. >median), HER2 staining intensity (IHC 3+ vs. 2+ vs. 0/1+), PIK3CA status (mutated vs. non-mutated), PTEN H-score (≤median vs. >median), and PTEN protein expression level (0 vs. 1+ vs. 2+ vs. 3+ vs. 4+). PFS was analyzed descriptively for each subgroup using Kaplan-Meier methodology. Additional exploratory post-hoc analyses evaluated the effects of HER2 heterogeneity. Multivariate analyses were also performed.

RESULTS:

Median PFS was numerically longer for patients with HER2 mRNA levels >median versus ≤median across treatment arms. In general, there were no predictive biomarkers of benefit for either T-DM1 treatment arm; most hazard ratios were close to 1 with wide confidence intervals that included the value 1. Focal HER2 expression (IHC 3+ or IHC 2+) was present in 3.8% of patients and was associated with numerically shorter PFS in the T-DM1-containing treatment arms versus trastuzumab plus taxane. Compared with non-mutated PIK3CA, mutated PIK3CA was associated with numerically shorter median PFS across treatment groups. Post-hoc multivariate analysis showed HER2 mRNA expression and mutated PIK3CA were prognostic for PFS (P ≤ 0.001 for both biomarkers).

CONCLUSIONS:

In MARIANNE, biomarkers related to the HER2 pathway did not have predictive value for PFS when comparing T-DM1 (with or without pertuzumab) with trastuzumab plus taxane. However, HER2 mRNA level and PIK3CA mutation status showed prognostic value. Evaluation of other potential biomarkers, including immune markers, is ongoing.

TRIAL REGISTRATION:

Registration number: NCT01120184 . Date of registration: April 28, 2010 (registered prospectively).

• Authors: Edith A Perez, Sanne Lysbet de Haas, Wolfgang Eiermann, Carlos H Barrios, Masakazu Toi, Young-Hyuck Im, Pier Franco Conte, Miguel Martin, Tadeusz Pienkowski, Xavier B Pivot, Howard A Burris 3rd, Sven Stanzel, Monika Patre, Paul Anthony Ellis
• Journal: BMC cancer (BMC Cancer) Vol. 19 Issue 1 Pg. 517 (May 30 2019) ISSN: 1471-2407 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 31146717 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Phase III, Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
• Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Bridged-Ring Compounds
• Membrane Proteins
• RNA, Messenger
• Taxoids
• Maytansine
• taxane
• Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
• PIK3CA protein, human
• ERBB2 protein, human
• ERBB3 protein, human
• Receptor, ErbB-2
• Receptor, ErbB-3
• TPTE protein, human
• PTEN Phosphohydrolase
• pertuzumab
• Trastuzumab
• Ado-Trastuzumab Emtansine

Topics

• Ado-Trastuzumab Emtansine
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized (therapeutic use)
• Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological (therapeutic use)
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (therapeutic use)
• Biomarkers, Tumor (metabolism)
• Breast Neoplasms (drug therapy, metabolism, pathology)
• Bridged-Ring Compounds (therapeutic use)
• Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases (genetics, metabolism)
• Female
• Humans
• Maytansine (analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Membrane Proteins (metabolism)
• Mutation
• PTEN Phosphohydrolase (metabolism)
• Prognosis
• RNA, Messenger (metabolism)
• Receptor, ErbB-2 (genetics, metabolism)
• Receptor, ErbB-3 (genetics, metabolism)
• Survival Analysis
• Taxoids (therapeutic use)
• Trastuzumab (therapeutic use)