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Isaacs, Claudine

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9646-1260

Mayo Clinic

Georgetown University

Citations 81

Cemiplimab and Fianlimab With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Early-Stage High-Risk ERBB2 -Negative Breast Cancer
Isaacs, Claudine, Nanda, Rita, Yau, C, Chien, A. Jo, Hershman, Dawn L., Stringer-Reasor, Erica M., Wallace, Anne M., Clark, Amy S., Kennedy, Laura C., Sanford, Amy, Boughey, JC , Albain, Kathy S. , Pusztai, Lajos, Kalinsky, Kevin M., Beckwith, Heather, Williams, Nicole O., Han, Hyo S., Falkson, Carla, Arora, Mili, Pohlmann, Paula R., Rozenblit, Mariya, Marshall, Natalie, Chen, Yunn-Yi, McGuinness, Julia E., Howard, Frederick M., Chen, Nan, Khoury, Katia, Lancaster, Rachael, Douglas, Emily, Wei, Mei, Mainor, Candace, LeStage, Barbara, Matthews, Jeffrey B. , Perlmutter, J, Symmans, W. Fraser, Yee, Douglas, Hylton, Nola M., Veer, Laura van ‘t , Rugo, Hope S., Berry, Donald A., Esserman, Laura J., Isaacs, Claudine , Yau, Christina , Chien, A. Jo , Hershman, Dawn L. , Stringer-Reasor, Erica , Thomas, Alexandra , Vaklavas, Christos , Clark, Amy S. , Kennedy, Laura Carpin , Pusztai, Lajos , Kalinsky, Kevin M. , Beckwith, Heather , Han, Hyo S , Falkson, Carla I. , Arora, Mili, Elias, Anthony , Pohlmann, Paula R. , Rozenblit, Mariya , Trivedi, Meghna S. , McGuinness, Julia Elizabeth , Howard, F , Khoury, Katia , Yeung, Kay T. , Douglas, Emily, Mainor, Candace , LeStage, Barbara , Delson, Amy , Asare, Adam L. , Swigart, Lamorna Brown , Hirst, Gillian L. , Symmans, W. Fraser , Yee, Douglas , Veer, Laura J. van’t , Rugo, Hope S. , DeMichele, Angela , Berry, Donald A., Esserman, Laura J.

JAMA Oncology | July 30, 2026 | Volume: No volume available | Issue: No issue available | Pages: No page available

10.1001/jamaoncol.2026.2576 Get It

Importance Although adding immune checkpoint inhibitors to neoadjuvant chemotherapy improves outcomes in high-risk early-stage breast cancer, opportunities remain to further enhance response. Dual checkpoint blockade offers a potential strategy to further enhance efficacy. Objective To evaluate the combination of anti−programmed cell death 1 protein (PD-1) cemiplimab and anti−lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG-3) added to neoadjuvant therapy in ERBB2 -negative early-stage, high-risk breast cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants The I-SPY2 (Investigation of Serial Studies to Predict Your Therapeutic Response With Imaging and Molecular Analysis 2) is an ongoing randomized clinical platform trial being conducted at multiple US clinical sites including patients with early-stage (II or III) ERBB2 -negative, high-risk breast cancer. Participants, continuously enrolled since 2010, were adaptively randomized from February 2, 2020, to December 9, 2021, to one of several experimental neoadjuvant therapies or control groups based on receptor subtypes defined by hormone receptor (HR), ERBB2 status, and MammaPrint (Agendia Inc) molecular risk, categorized as high (MP1) or ultrahigh (MP2). Data were analyzed from January 1, 2022, to August 5, 2025. Interventions Both groups received weekly paclitaxel for 12 weeks, then doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by surgery; concomitant with paclitaxel, the intervention group also received 4 doses of cemiplimab and fianlimab (PCF) every 3 weeks. Main Outcomes and Measures Pathologic complete response (pCR). Treatments graduated when they achieved 85% bayesian probability of success in a subtype-specific phase 3 trial. Pathway-specific biomarkers were assessed for response prediction. Results A total of 78 participants (mean [SD] age, 47 [39-54] years) were randomized to the intervention group, with 350 participants (mean [SD] age, 48 [39-57] years) randomized to the historical control population. PCF graduated in all clinical signatures, with pCR rates vs control of 44% (95% CI, 34%-53%) vs 21% (95% CI, 17%-25%) in all ERBB2 , 53% (95% CI, 39%-67%) vs 29% (95% CI, 22%-36%) in triple-negative, and 36% (95% CI, 23%-49%) vs 14% (95% CI, 9%-19%) in HR-positive and ERBB2 -negative disease. Among the total participants, 16 (21%) experienced adrenal insufficiency, including hypophysitis (11% grade 3 or 4), mostly occurring after immunotherapy completion. PCF was found to be highly effective in the subset of patients with immune signature positive status (ImPrint positive). Conclusions and Relevance In this randomized clinical trial, the combination of PD-1 and anti−LAG-3 inhibition with standard NAC was effective in early-stage ERBB2 -negative breast cancer, particularly in patients displaying a positive ImPrint immune signature. These results warrant further definitive trials. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01042379
Neoadjuvant rilvegostomig (R) + trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) in high-risk HER2-negative breast cancer: Results from the I-SPY 2.2 trial.
O'Sullivan, Ciara Catherine, Kalinsky, Kevin, Yau, C, Wallace, Anne M., Chien, Jo, Yee, D, Nanda, Rita, Isaacs, C, Omene, Coral, Kulkarni, T, Swigart, Lamorna Brown, Perlmutter, J, Hylton, N, Borowsky, Alexander D., Rugo, H S, Veer, Laura van't, Esserman, L J, O’Sullivan, Ciara C. , Kalinsky, Kevin M. , Yau, Christina , Yee, Douglas , Boughey, Judy C. , Borges, Virginia F. , Isaacs, Claudine , Omene, Coral , Kulkarni, Tejaswini , Swigart, Lamorna Brown , Hylton, Nola, Shatsky, Rebecca , Veer, Laura J. van’t

Journal of Clinical Oncology | June 3, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 17_suppl | Pages: No page available

10.1200/jco.2026.44.17_suppl.lba514 Get It

LBA514 Background: Preclinical and clinical data show that antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) such as T-DXd may synergize with immunotherapy. Rilvegostomig (R) is a monovalent, Fc-reduced, dual checkpoint bispecific IgG1 monoclonal antibody against PD-1 and TIGIT receptors. R + T-DXd was evaluated as neoadjuvant therapy for up to 4 cycles. Methods: I-SPY2.2 is a phase II neoadjuvant trial with three neoadjuvant sequences (Blocks A/B/C). All HER2-negative subtypes were eligible for R + T-DXd in Block A. Predicted responders at the end of Block A or B could undergo surgery; otherwise, they continued to Block B +/- C. Block B pts received paclitaxel +/- carboplatin +/- pembrolizumab and Block C pts doxorubicin + cyclophosphamide (AC) +/- pembrolizumab, HR+ immune+ received IO in Blocks B/C. Results are analyzed by receptor and response predictive subtypes (RPS), that include expression-based immune, and luminal signatures with hormone receptor (HR) and HER2 status. Some pts were randomized to a control regimen (skipping R + T-DXd in block A and starting in block B). To minimize risk of interstitial lung disease (ILD) that could lead to treatment discontinuation, pts underwent pulmonary function tests and high-resolution chest CTs every 6 weeks. Abnormalities were reviewed in real time. The primary endpoint was pathologic complete response (pCR), within each RPS and HR/HER2 signature, with estimated pCR (EpCR) rates compared to subtype-specific block A goal rates and control pts in those groups. Other endpoints included safety and treatment discontinuation. Results: 105 pts were treated with R + T-DXd in block A, while 31 pts were randomized to the control regimen. Block A EpCR rate was 57% in the 12 HR+Immune+ pts vs a pre-specified goal of 15% (posterior probability, PP > .99). In 35 HR-Immune+ pts EpCR was 52% vs a pre-specified goal of 40% (PP = .87). No other groups (Immune-) had a PP > .85 for their respective pCR goal rate. HER2-IHC was 0 (27.6%), 1+ (49.5%) and 2+ (22.9%) in the treatment arm vs. 37.7%, 37.7%, and 24.7% in the control arm, with no difference in distribution between arms in immune subtypes. The most common adverse events in Block A were fatigue (84.8%), nausea (81.0%) and alopecia (58.1%). ILD was the most common adverse event of special interest in Block A and overall, occurring in 12 pts (11.4%; 7G1, 4G2, 1G3) during Block A and in 3 pts (G1, 2.9%) in other Blocks. 8 pts discontinued T-DXd + R due to ILD and proceeded to the next Block. Conclusions: When considering the full treatment strategy including block B and C regimens, experimental strategies had similar EpCR rates vs. controls in immune+ subtypes but block A rates exceeded pre-defined goal thresholds. This infers that treatment beginning with R + T-DXd has equivalent efficacy to standard of care for immune+ pts, but 64% pts with pCR skip chemotherapy (Block B) and 97% avoid AC (Block C). R + T-DXd participants avoided persistent ILD. Clinical trial information: NCT01042379 .
Neoadjuvant DAN-222 plus niraparib in high-risk HER2-negative breast cancer: Results from the I-SPY 2 adaptive platform trial.
Isaacs, C, Howard-Mcnatt, Marissa, Yau, C, Chien, Jo, Wallace, Anne M., Han, Hyo S., Yee, D, Omene, Coral, Nanda, Rita, Chapple, Andrew, Perlmutter, J, Pohlmann, Paula R., Borowsky, Alexander D., Symmans, W. Fraser, Veer, Laura van't, Esserman, L J, Pohlmann, Paula R. , Pohlmann, Paula , Yeung, Kay T. , Isaacs, Claudine , Howard-McNatt, Marissa Michelle , Yau, Christina , Boughey, Judy C. , Han, Hyo S , Borges, Virginia F. , Falkson, Carla I. , Yee, Douglas , Omene, Coral , Nanda, Rita , Symmans, W. Fraser

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 27, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 625-625

10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.625 Get It

625 Background: I-SPY 2 is a multicenter phase II adaptive platform trial evaluating novel agents for stage II-III high-risk breast cancer using response-predictive subtypes (RPS) and a sequential neoadjuvant treatment design of up to three blocks (A/B/C). Investigational regimens are given in Block A, followed by response-guided escalation to standard-of-care (SOC) therapy (tx) in subsequent blocks or early surgery for responders. Topoisomerase I (TOPO1) inhibition plus PARP inhibition may enhance DNA damage and tumor response. DAN-222 is a tumor-targeted polymeric camptothecin conjugate designed to improve the therapeutic index of TOPO1 inhibition. Based on favorable phase 1 safety and preliminary activity in metastatic breast cancer, DAN-222 plus niraparib was evaluated as Block A tx in HER2− disease. Notably, the neoadjuvant regimen used a higher dose of niraparib (200 mg daily) than the prior phase 1 metastatic study. Methods: Patients (pts) with HER2− breast cancer were randomized to DAN-222 plus niraparib for up to 12 weeks in Block A. Response was assessed by serial MRI and biopsy. Inadequate responders escalated early to SOC tx in Blocks B/C. Primary endpoint was pathologic complete response (pCR). Secondary endpoints included residual cancer burden, safety, early discontinuation, and treatment-strategy performance versus subtype-specific SOC tx controls. Given established PARPi sensitivity in BRCA mut disease, the key objective was to assess clinically meaningful activity of DAN-222 plus niraparib in BRCA wt pts. Accordingly, a prespecified Bayesian interim futility analysis focused on BRCA wt and tested the probability of the true pCR rate after Block A alone exceeded 15% after 50 pts. Results: Fifty pts enrolled from Sep to Dec 2024. In BRCA wt (n=47), estimated Block A pCR was 3%, with posterior probability of 0.02 that that true pCR exceeded 15%, meeting futility criteria and prompting arm closure. Across all blocks, pCR rate was 57% (8/14) for HR-HER2−; 11% (4/36) for HR+ HER2−, largely after SOC tx. 2/3 BRCA mut pts achieved pCR. Treatment strategies initiating with DAN-222 plus niraparib underperformed subtype-specific controls. 68% discontinued Block A early, mainly due to toxicity. Grade ≥3 cytopenias were common: neutropenia (n=25; 50%), anemia (24%), and thrombocytopenia (18%). Cystitis occurred in 36% (1 grade ≥3). Conclusions: Neoadjuvant DAN-222 plus niraparib showed insufficient activity and no treatment-strategy benefit in BRCA wt HER2− breast cancer, underscoring challenges for TOPO1–PARP inhibitor combinations. Although not supported for further development in this setting, these results highlight the strength of I-SPY 2 in rapidly enrolling patients and quickly distinguishing ineffective from promising therapeutic strategies to accelerate progress toward improved outcomes for patients with curable breast cancer. Clinical trial information: NCT01042379 .
Long-term follow-up of S0221, comparing alternative dose-schedules of anthracycline and taxane therapy in early breast cancer
Barlow, William E. , Moore, Halle C F, Hobday, T., Isaacs, Claudine, Salim, Muhammad , Albain, Kathy S. , Chew, Helen K. , Burton, G., Srkalović, Gordan , Flaherty, Lawrence E. , Lew, Danika L., Hortobagyi, Gabriel N, Sharma, Priyanka, Pusztai, Lajos, Budd, George T, Moore, Halle C. F. , Isaacs, Claudine , Ali, Azka , Barlow, William E , Moore, Halle C F , Isaacs, Claudine , Albain, Kathy , Srkalovic, Gordan , McGregor, Bradley , Gralow, Julie R , Sharma, Priyanka , Pusztai, Lajos , Budd, G Thomas , Hobday, Timothy J. , McGregor, Bradley A. , Gralow, Julie R. , Hortobágyi, Gabriel N. , Sharma, Priyanka , Pusztai, Lajos , Budd, G. Thomas

JNCI Cancer Spectrum | March 12, 2026 | Volume: 10 | Issue: 2 | Pages: No page available

10.1093/jncics/pkag024 Get It

Abstract Background S0221 investigated weekly vs every 2 weeks dosing of doxorubicin (A) and cyclophosphamide (C) followed by paclitaxel in patients with high-risk early breast cancer. After an interim analysis, random assignment to the 2 AC arms was stopped for futility, and the trial was modified to study only the paclitaxel schedules. Methods Between December 2003 and November 2010, a total of 2716 patients were randomly assigned in a 2 × 2 factorial design to 15 weeks of weekly A and daily C vs 6 cycles of every 2 weeks AC; and weekly paclitaxel for 12 weeks vs 6 cycles of every 2 weeks paclitaxel. Between January 2011 and January 2012, an additional 578 patients were assigned to 4 cycles of every 2 weeks AC and randomly assigned to weekly vs every 2 weeks paclitaxel. Updated survival was assessed using log-rank tests and Cox regression models. We compared outcomes by breast cancer subtype as well. Results At a median follow-up of 12.1 years, there were no statistically significant differences among the 4 treatment arms in disease-free survival (DFS) (P = .91) or overall survival (P = .34) in the original protocol. Among the 578 patients assigned AC for 4 cycles and randomly assigned to paclitaxel weekly vs every 2 weeks paclitaxel, there were no overall differences in DFS (P = .32) or overall survival (P = .42). Conclusion As there were no statistically significant outcome differences in DFS or overall survival between the studied schedules of AC and paclitaxel with extended follow-up in the original or revised protocol, either paclitaxel schedule may be recommended, with selection based on toxicity, cost, or patient preference.
Identification of Early Symptoms Associated with Subsequent Immune-related Adverse Events in the I-SPY clinical trial
Basu, A. , Umashankar, Saumya, Melisko, Michelle, Roy, Ritu , Yau, C, Pusztai, L., Chien, A. Jo, Liu, Minetta, Soliman, Hatem, Isaacs, Claudine, Shatsky, Rebecca, Stringer-Reasor, E, Robinson, PA, Kalinsky, Kevin, Thomas, Alexandra, Musthafa, Mina, Asare, Adam, DeMichele, Angela, Veer, Laura van't, Yee, Douglas, Hylton, NM, Olshen, Adam B. , Perlmutter, Jane , Cohen, Ronald , Quandt, Zoe , Esserman, Laura, Rugo, Hope, Nanda, Rita, Umashankar, Saumya , Melisko, Michelle, Yau, Christina , Pusztai, Lajos , Han, Hyo S , Soliman, Hatem, Isaacs, Claudine , Shatsky, Rebecca , Stringer-Reasor, Erica , Yeung, Kay T. , Kalinsky, Kevin M. , Philip, Errol James , Hirst, Gillian L. , DeMichele, Angela , Veer, Laura J. van’t , Yee, Douglas , Hershman, Dawn L.

No container title available | February 11, 2026 | Volume: No volume available | Issue: No issue available | Pages: No page available

10.21203/rs.3.rs-8689063/v1 Get It

Abstract Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors can result in serious, long-lasting immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Early identification of symptoms predictive of irAEs could enhance monitoring and timely intervention. This study assessed whether symptoms within the first 8 weeks of treatment could predict subsequent development of immune-related adrenal insufficiency(AI) or hypothyroidism. Methods This retrospective cohort study analyzed prospectively collected data from the I-SPY2 trial, a phase 2 platform trial for high-risk stage II/III breast cancer across 30 U.S. sites. The cohort included 482 women treated with experimental immunotherapy agents concurrent with weekly paclitaxel neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The primary outcomes were grade ≥ 1 hypothyroidism or AI, adjudicated by an independent safety group, up to 1-year post-treatment. Symptoms and irAEs were assessed using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Symptom burden was quantified as area under the curve (AUC) based on symptom grade and duration. Predictive modeling was performed using logistic regression and ROC analysis; symptom enrichment between cases and controls was evaluated using Fisher’s exact tests. Results Among 482 participants, 107 (22.2%) developed irAEs, with hypothyroidism (n = 61, 12.7%) occurring more frequently than AI (n = 38, 7.9%) at medians of 99 and 105 days from treatment initiation, respectively. Symptom enrichment analysis identified early predictive symptoms. Fatigue (17.2% vs 6.8%, p = 0.011) and rash (20.7% vs 7.8%, p = 0.0037) were predictive of hypothyroidism, while diarrhea (45.9% vs 31%, p = 0.048), constipation (5.4% vs 0.2%, p = 0.018), and taste changes (5.4% vs 0.5%, p = 0.034) were associated with AI. A predictive model demonstrated moderate performance (AUC 0.65 for AI, p < 0.0001; AUC 0.61 for hypothyroidism, p = 0.012). Model accuracy in an external validation cohort was 72.8% for AI and 74.7% for hypothyroidism. Conclusions This study presents a predictive framework to identify patients at risk for adrenal insufficiency and hypothyroidism as irAEs, enabling personalized care and proactive intervention to improve treatment outcomes and safety.
Immune Subtyping Identifies Patients With Hormone Receptor–Positive Early-Stage Breast Cancer Who Respond to Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy (IO): Results From Five IO Arms of the I-SPY2 Trial
Wolf, Denise M. , Yau, Christina , Glas, Annuska M. , Barcaru, Andrei, Kuilman, Midas M. , Swigart, Lamorna Brown , Hirst, Gillian L. , Basu, A. , Magbanua, Mark Jesus M. , Sayaman, Rosalyn W. , Huppert, Laura A. , Investigators, I-SPY2, Borowsky, Alexander D. , Pohlmann, Paula R. , Clark, Amy S. , Yee, Douglas , Perlmutter, Jane , Petricoin, Emanuel F. , Chien, A. Jo , Stringer-Reasor, Erica , Liu, Minetta C. , Nanda, Rita , Veer, Laura van ‘t , Melisko, Michelle , Albain, Kathy S. , Robinson, Patricia A. , Lo, Simon S. , Potter, David J. , Beckwith, Heather , Haddad, Tufia C. , Kemmer, Kathleen, Lu, Janice , Williams, Nicole , Ellis, Erin D. , Sanford, Amy, Sanft, Tara, Viscusi, Rebecca K., Arora, Mili, Northfelt, Donald W. , Haley, Barbara , Yung, Rachel L. , Mayer, Ingrid, Khan, Qamar J. , Edmiston, Kirsten K., Glas, Annuska , Mittempergher, Lorenza , Brown-Swigart, Lamorna , Hirst, Gillian L , Basu, Amrita , Magbanua, Mark J M , Sayaman, Rosalyn , Huppert, Laura , Delson, Amy , Symmans, W Fraser , Pohlmann, Paula , Rugo, Hope S , Clark, Amy S , Yee, Douglas , DeMichele, Angela , Petricoin, Emmanuel F , Chien, Jo , Stringer-Reasor, Erica , Shatsky, Rebecca , Liu, Minetta , Soliman, Hatem Hussein , Isaacs, Claudine , Nanda, Rita , Hylton, Nola M. , Pusztai, Lajos , Esserman, Laura J , Veer, Laura J. van’t , Campbell, Michael, Investigators, I-SPY2, Symmans, W. Fraser , Rugo, Hope S. , DeMichele, Angela , Shatsky, Rebecca , Han, Hyo S , Isaacs, Claudine , Pusztai, Lajos , Esserman, Laura J. , Mukhtar, Rita A. , Wallace, Anne M. , Yeung, Kay T. , Olopade, Olufunmilayo I. , Potter, David, Blaes, Anne , Boughey, Judy C. , Elias, Anthony , Mitri, Zahi Ibrahim , Lang, Julie E. , Thomas, Alexandra , Trivedi, Meghna S. , Hershman, Dawn L. , Meisel, Jane Lowe , Kalinsky, Kevin M. , Vaklavas, Christos , Sanft, Tara , Arora, Mili, Falkson, Carla I. , Murthy, Rashmi Krishna

JCO Precision Oncology | June 17, 2025 | Volume: No volume available | Issue: 9 | Pages: No page available

10.1200/po-24-00776 Get It

PURPOSE Neoadjuvant immunotherapy (IO) has become the standard of care for early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), but not yet for other subtypes. We previously developed a clinical-grade mRNA-based immune classifier (ImPrint) predicting response to IO that is now being used in I-SPY2.2 as part of the response predictive subtypes. We report the performance of ImPrint in hormone receptor–positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative (HR+HER2–) patients from five IO arms. METHODS A total of 204 HR+HER2– (MammaPrint high-risk) patients from five IO arms (anti–PD-1, anti–PD-L1/poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase inhibitor combination, anti–PD-1/toll-like receptor 9 dual-IO combination, and anti–PD-1 ± lymphocyte activation gene 3 dual-IO combination) and 191 patients from the chemotherapy-only control arm were included in this analysis. Patients were classified as ImPrint+ (likely sensitive) versus ImPrint– (likely resistant), using pretreatment mRNA. Performance of ImPrint for predicting pathologic complete response (pCR) to IO-containing arms was characterized and compared with tumor grade (III), MammaPrint (ultra) High2 risk (MP2), and estrogen receptor (ER)-low (ER ≤ 10%). RESULTS Overall, the pCR rate across the five IO arms was 33%. 26% of HR+HER2– patients were ImPrint+, and pCR rates with IO were 75% in ImPrint+ versus 17% in ImPrint–, with the highest pCR rate >90% in a dual-IO arm. In the control arm, pCR rates were 33% in ImPrint+ and 8% in ImPrint–. Tumor grade (III), MP2, and ER-low showed pCR rates in IO of 45%, 56%, and 63%, respectively, with lower pCR odds ratios (OR < 7.5) compared with ImPrint (OR = 14.5). CONCLUSION Using an accurate selection strategy, HR+HER2– patients could achieve pCR rates similar to what is seen with best neoadjuvant therapies in TNBC and HER2+ (ie, pCR rate >65%-70%). ImPrint, an Food and Drug Administration IDE-enabled assay, may represent a way to identify HR+HER2– patients for IO that best balances likely benefit versus risk of serious immune-related adverse events.
Early adverse symptoms to predict response to treatment among patients in the I-SPY trial.
Umashankar, Saumya , Roy, Ritu , Ruddy, Kathryn J. , Olshen, Adam B. , Michele, Angela De, Perlmutter, Jane , Hylton, Nola, Veer, Laura van ‘t , Melisko, Michelle , Advocates, I-SPY Trial Investigators and Patient, Basu, Amrita B , Wolf, Denise M. , Yau, Christina , Blaes, Anne , Yee, Douglas , Veer, Laura J. van’t , Shatsky, Rebecca , Isaacs, Claudine , Rugo, Hope S. , Esserman, Laura J. , Hershman, Dawn L. , Advocates, I-SPY Trial Investigators and Patient

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 610-610

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.610 Get It

610 Background: The adverse event (AE) landscape in oncology is changing due to the introduction of immunotherapy and antibody drug conjugates. These AEs come with both short and long-term symptoms that significantly impact patient quality of life. Monitoring for early onset of symptoms could optimize therapy for a particular patient, maximizing potential efficacy while mitigating toxicity. It is also possible that some toxicities are directly associated with drug sensitivity. We sought to identify symptoms associated with pathologic complete response (pCR) using patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in early-stage high-risk breast cancer patients. Methods: Our study population included 288 stage II/III high-risk breast cancer patients enrolled on the I-SPY2 trial from 2021-2024, who received novel neoadjuvant therapies ± standard paclitaxel. pCR was assigned if tumor was absent in breast and nodes at surgery following neoadjuvant treatment. Patients (n = 288, pCR rate = 29%, 89% administered immunotherapy) were sent electronic PROs. 33 patient-reported AEs were measured using NCI's Patient Reported Outcomes - Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE). Each symptom was evaluated using severity, frequency, and interference on a Likert Scale. Presence of early PRO symptoms (cycles 1-3 of treatment) were binarized (at least one of moderate or greater), and odds ratios were computed with pCR as outcome. To assess whether higher grade AEs were enriched in patients that achieved a pCR, we also performed the Wilcoxan rank sum test using maximum (worst) symptom severity. Results: Of 288 patients included in our analysis (median age = 48 years, range = 20-78), 203 (70.5%) were White, 17 (5.9%) were Asian, 33 (11.5%) were Black or African American, and 35 (12.2%) were Hispanic. PRO analysis revealed that patients that had moderate to severe muscle pain (27% vs 10% OR = 3.15, p < 0.05), joint pain (22% vs 8% OR = 3.23, p < 0.05), headache (27% vs 12.5% OR = 2.59, p < 0.05), or mouth/throat sores (16% vs 5% OR = 3.56, p < 0.05) within weeks 1-3 had higher odds of achieving a pCR. When we looked at maximum severity between weeks 1-3, patients that achieved a PCR had higher grade muscle pain (p = 0.04), heart palpitations (p = 0.035), and significantly lower grade numbness and tingling (p = 0.002). Beyond 6 weeks, associations were weaker or insignificant. Conclusions: Our study utilizes an analysis framework that was able to determine sentinel symptoms such as muscle and joint pain, mouth/throat sores and palpitations as early as weeks 1-3 associated with increased efficacy. This may suggest an early immune reaction in patients that eventually respond favorably to treatment. Our work can help provide earlier proactive monitoring to mitigate toxicities, treatment redirection if needed, and a potential symptom-based early understanding to personalize treatment efficacy. A similar analysis is underway to predict immune related AEs. Clinical trial information: NCT01042379 .
Predicting nodal burden after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with circulating tumor (ct)DNA for surgical planning: Results from the I-SPY2 trial.
Mukhtar, Rita, Dimitroff, Katrina, Veer, Laura van ‘t , Chien, Jo, Hirst, Gillian L. , Tchou, Julia , Kuerer, Henry M. , Reyna, Chantal , Sauder, Candice A. M. , Magbanua, Mark Jesus M. , Hirst, Gillian L , Yau, Christina , Veer, Laura J. van’t , Swigart, Lamorna Brown , DeMichele, Angela , Yee, Douglas , Rugo, Hope S. , Shatsky, Rebecca , Isaacs, Claudine , Ahmed, Kamran A. , Esserman, Laura J. , Boughey, Judy C.

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 504-504

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.504 Get It

504 Background: Axillary surgery in breast cancer is used for staging and therapeutic purposes, but axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) confers high risk of complications including lymphedema. Accordingly, trials have focused on right-sizing axillary surgery, with options ranging from complete omission of surgery, sentinel lymph node (SLN) surgery, targeted axillary dissection (TAD), or ALND. Identifying a biomarker to reliably predict nodal burden would facilitate accurate selection of surgical management. We evaluated whether the presence or absence of ctDNA in the blood pre and post NAC is associated with residual nodal burden. Methods: I-SPY2 is a prospective, multicenter NAC trial for patients with clinical stage II-III high-risk breast cancer. Patients are randomized to novel NAC agents, with pathologic complete response being the primary endpoint. As part of the trial, serial ctDNA is assessed with a highly sensitive tumor-informed assay using up to 16 patient-specific tumor mutations (Signatera) at baseline, 3 weeks, 12 weeks, and post-NAC. We determined whether ctDNA positivity or negativity post-NAC, and the change in ctDNA status baseline/post-NAC (-/-, -/+, +/+, +/-) are associated with ypN category (N0, N1, N2). Results: ctDNA status was available post-NAC in 495 patients and change in ctDNA status from baseline was available in 493. At baseline, ctDNA was detected in 160/220 (72.3%) cN0 patients and 227/273 (83.2%) cN+ patients (p=0.006). Post-NAC, ctDNA was detected in 11/220 (5%) cN0 patients and 34/273 (12.5%) cN+ patients (p=0.004). While baseline ctDNA status was not associated with ypN category, there was a significant association between post-NAC ctDNA status and ypN category. For ctDNA + patients post-NAC, 33.3% were ypN0, 31.1% were ypN1, and 35.6% were ypN2 at surgery; in contrast, for ctDNA - patients post-NAC, 67.1% were ypN0, 23.1% were ypN1, and 9.8% were ypN2 (p<0.0001). Dynamic ctDNA changes were also associated with ypN category, with significantly more ypN0 patients among ctDNA -/- or ctDNA +/- cases, and more ypN2 patients in those who did not clear ctDNA (+/+) (p=0.0001, Table). Conclusions: To our knowledge this is the first study to demonstrate a significant relationship between ctDNA and ypN category, which has important surgical implications. CtDNA negativity was associated with low likelihood of ypN2 disease, making these patients excellent candidates for SLN surgery or TAD. Ongoing analyses will incorporate receptor subtype and timing of clearance of ctDNA. CtDNA in breast cancer may help tailor surgical management of the axilla, potentially reducing patient morbidity without compromising prognostic information. ctDNA baseline/post-NAC ypN0 (n=317) ypN1 (n=116) ypN2 (n=60) ctDNA -/- (n=105) 72.4% 19.1% 8.6% ctDNA -/+ (n=1) 0.0% 100.0% 0.0% ctDNA +/+ (n=44) 34.1% 29.6% 36.4% ctDNA +/- (n=343) 65.9% 23.9% 10.2%
Molecular profiling of serial liquid biopsy specimens utilizing cell free DNA (cfDNA) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in TBCRC041: A phase II study of alisertib in endocrine resistant metastatic breast cancer (MBC).
Ye, Hong , Campbell, Jordan D., Karuturi, Meghan , Morikawa, Aki , Kimmick, Gretchen , Oh, Sun Young , Clark, Amy S. , D’Assoro, Antonino B. , Haddad, Tufia C. , Giridhar, Karthik V. , Suman, Vera J. , Tang, Xiaojia , Mayer, Erica L. , Isaacs, Claudine , Park, Ben Ho , Bucheit, Leslie , Tsai, Jill , Ingle, James N. , Goetz, Matthew P. , Kalari, Krishna R.

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 29, 2024 | Volume: 42 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 1037-1037

10.1200/jco.2024.42.16_suppl.1037 Get It

1037 Background: TBCRC041, a randomized phase 2 trial of alisertib (A) ± fulvestrant (F) in women with HR+/HER2- MBC demonstrated promising clinical activity for alisertib (1). Interrogation of baseline (PreC1) and end of cycle 1 (EOC1) cfDNA and CTCs may identify biomarkers associated with response to A±F. Methods: Plasma cfDNA was sequenced using the Guardant INFINITY platform, which includes genomic and methylated tumor fraction (mTF) analysis. Pathogenic variants were determined using publicly available databases and Mayo Clinic annotation pipelines. CTCs were identified as nucleated, EpCAM+/ cytokeratin+/ CD45- cells and assessed for ER/HER2 staining (RareCyte, Seattle). PFS was defined as the time from randomization to progression or death. EOC1-PFS differs from PFS as time starts at C2D1. Stratified log-rank tests and conditional Cox modeling were used to assess whether PFS or EOC1-PFS differed by mutations in ESR1 or PIK3CA, pre-CTC ≥ 5, or mTF>1%. Results: Of the 91 eligible pts, 84 progressed, and 73 were deceased. In the 86 pts with PreC1-cfDNA results, variants were identified in ESR1 (42; 48.8%), PIK3CA (36; 41.9%), AKT1 (7; 8.1%), PTEN(7; 8.1%), BRCA1 (4; 4.7%), and BRCA2 (7; 8.1%). Pts with a PIK3CAmut had significantly decreased PFS (HR 1.8; 95%CI: 1.1 -2.9, p=0.014) but not by ESR1mut status (p=0.583). PreC1 and EOC1-mTF were determined for 78 and 76 pts, respectively. PreC1-mTF was 0-1% in 21; 1.1-10.0% in 27; and 10.1-100% in 30. mTF levels remained between 0-1% in 17 pts fell to 0-1% in 11 pts, and was 0-1% in 5 pts without a preC1-mTF determination. PFS did not differ with respect to PreC1-mTF (p=0.210), but EOC1-PFS was worse in pts with mTF >1% (HR 3.0; 95%CI: 1.6 -5.2, p<0.001). PreC1 and EOC1-CTC were determined for 78 and 76 pts. 36 (46.2%) pts had a PreC1 CTC count ≥ 5. EOC1-CTC levels remained at (n=17) or increased to (n=1) ≥ 5 and was ≥ 5 in 2 pts without a preC1-CTC determination. EOC1-PFS was not significantly different for EOC1-CTC ≥ 5 (p=0.065), but was significantly decreased in pts with PreC1-CTC≥5 (HR=1.8; 95%CI: 1.1-3.0; p=0.018). Broader cfDNA NGS panel and CTC-derived ER/HER2 staining results will be presented at the meeting. Conclusions: Among patients receiving A±F, PFS varied based on the PIK3CAmutation status. cfDNA and CTC assessment PreC1 and EOC1 provided complementary information. Further validation in larger datasets is needed. 1. JAMA Oncol 2023;9:815. Clinical trial information: NCT02860000 .
Abstract PO3-02-05: Racial and Ethnic Differences in Clinical Outcomes among North American Patients with Hormone Receptor-Positive, HER2-negative, Early Breast Cancer in the PALLAS Trial (AFT-05)
Kantor, Olga , Dueck, Amylou, Burstein, Harold J. , Shepherd, Lois E. , Hahn, Olwen, Anderson, D. Mark , Rugo, Hope, Dayao, Zoneddy , Clifton, Katherine , Lu, Dongrui R. , O’Brien, Patrick, Scovil, Sara, Fayanju, Oluwadamilola M. , Dueck, Amylou C. , Gnant, Michael , Goetz, Matthew P. , Isaacs, Claudine , Anderson, Daniel, Miller, Kathy D. , Traina, Tiffany A , Clifton, Katherine , Winer, Eric P. , Wolff, Antonio C. , Wolmark, Norman , DeMichele, Angela , Mayer, Erica L.

Cancer Research | May 2, 2024 | Volume: 84 | Issue: 9_Supplement | Pages: PO3-02-05-PO3-02-05

10.1158/1538-7445.sabcs23-po3-02-05 Get It

Abstract Introduction: Analyses of multiple clinical trials have suggested racial and ethnic disparities in outcomes for early-stage, hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative (HR+HER2-) breast cancer, however, none of these studies examined the use of adjuvant CDK4/6 inhibitors. The objective of this study was to explore racial and ethnic differences in toxicity, treatment duration, and disease outcomes in patients (pts) with early-stage HR+HER2- breast cancer treated with or without adjuvant palbociclib on the PALLAS trial. Methods: The PALLAS phase III, global, open-label trial randomized 5,796 pts with stage II-III HR+HER2- breast cancer to 2 years of palbociclib plus ongoing provider/patient choice adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET+palbo) vs. ET alone (ET). The analytic cohort was limited to pts enrolled in North America with known self-reported race and ethnicity (Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, Asian or Pacific Islander). Descriptive statistics were used to examine treatment characteristics, early discontinuation, and toxicity by race and ethnicity. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate 3-year locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS) and invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) stratified by racial and ethnic group. Cox proportional hazards models were used identify predictors of LRFS and IDFS. Results: 2,547 North American pts were randomized and included in the intent-to-treat population with a median follow-up of 59.8 months; 1,996 (78.4%) identified as Non-Hispanic White (NHW), 132 (5.2%) Non-Hispanic Black (NHB), 156 (6.1%) Hispanic, and 134 (5.3%) Asian or Pacific Islander (API). Stage, performance status, type of surgery, and prior radiation were similar across racial and ethnic groups. Age, body mass index, grade, and prior chemotherapy differed by race and ethnicity (p&lt; 0.05). Median age was lowest in API pts and highest in NHW pts (47.5 vs 53.0 years, respectively). Median body mass index was lowest in API and highest in NHB pts (24.4 vs 30.9). NHB pts were most likely to have high-grade disease (40.9% vs 26.9-30.5% in other groups). NHW pts were least likely to have received prior chemotherapy (81.0% vs 87.1-91.0%). Palbociclib early discontinuation was lowest in NHB pts (50.7%) and highest in Hispanic pts (65.9%), p=0.14. ET early discontinuation was similar across all groups (p=0.35). Palbociclib grade 3-4 overall toxicity was variable across groups (NHW 71.6%, NHB 79.1%, Hispanic 69.5%, API 85.2%), but this variation did not reach statistical significance (p=0.07). Neutropenia was highest in API pts (90.0% vs 57.3% in NHW, 58.2% in NHB, and 51.2% in Hispanic pts, p&lt; 0.01). Overall 3-year LRFS was 98% (95% CI 97-98%) and IDFS was 89% (95% CI 88-90%). LRFS and IDFS were statistically similar by race and ethnicity and within each study arm (Table). No differences in LRFS or IDFS were seen by race or ethnicity in adjusted models (p=0.95). Conclusions: In this clinical trial population of HR+HER2- breast cancer patients exposed to similar treatments, no racial/ethnic differences were seen in short-term LRFS or IDFS across study arms. Differences in palbociclib toxicity by racial and ethnic group, particularly neutropenia, were seen with the highest toxicity in API patients; however, this difference did not translate into early discontinuation of palbociclib or ET. Table: 3-year Kaplan-Meier Survival Outcomes Stratified by Race and Ethnicity Citation Format: Olga Kantor, Oluwadamilola (Lola) Fayanju, Amylou Dueck, Michael Gnant, Harold Burstein, Matthew Goetz, Claudine Isaacs, Lois Shepherd, Olwen Hahn, Daniel Anderson, Kathy Miller, Hope Rugo, Tiffany Traina, Zoneddy Dayao, Katherine Clifton, Eric Winer, Antonio Wolff, Norman Wolmark, Dongrui Lu, Patrick O'Brien, Sara Scovil, Angela DeMichele, Erica Mayer. Racial and Ethnic Differences in Clinical Outcomes among North American Patients with Hormone Receptor-Positive, HER2-negative, Early Breast Cancer in the PALLAS Trial (AFT-05) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO3-02-05.