Back to Authors

Mayer, E. L.

Mayo Clinic

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Citations 9

Abstract RF7-07: Adjuvant Palbociclib for ER+ Breast Cancer in the PALLAS Trial (ABCSG-42/AFT-05/PrE0109/BIG-14-13): Post-Recurrence Treatment and Overall Survival
DeMichele, A. M., Dueck, A., Gnant, M., Martín, M., Wolff, A., Rubovsky, Gabor, Henao, F., Hahn, O. M., Chan, A., Brusky, A., Morris, PG, Burstein, H., Huber, G., Anderson, D., Garcia-Estevez, L., Pfeiler, G., Rugo, H., Zdenkowski, N., Wolmark, N., Sabanathan, D., Miller, K., Cameron, D., Winer, E., Brunner, C., Gauthier, E., O’Brien, P., Fesl, Christian , Mayer, E. L., DeMichele, Angela , Gnant, Michael , Hlauschek, Dominik , Rubovsky, Gabor , Pfeiler, Georg , Zdenkowski, Nicholas , Gampenrieder, Simon Peter , Sabanathan, Danusha, Miller, K., Gauthier, ER, O’Brien, P.

Clinical Cancer Research | February 17, 2026 | Volume: 32 | Issue: 4_Supplement | Pages: RF7-07-RF7-07

10.1158/1557-3265.sabcs25-rf7-07 Get It

Abstract PURPOSE: CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i), used in combination with endocrine therapy (ET), are standard of care for advanced and higher risk early stage hormone receptor-positive (HR+), HER2 negative (HER2-) breast cancer. PALLAS investigated the addition of 2 years (y) of palbociclib to adjuvant ET (ET/P) compared to ET alone in patients (pts) with stage II-III HR+/HER2- breast cancer. We now present overall survival (OS) with 7-y outcomes and impact of post-recurrence therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This global phase III trial randomized pts to ET for at least 5 y with or without 2 y of P. Primary endpoint was iDFS; distant recurrence-free survival (DRFS) and OS were preplanned endpoints. Kaplan Meier estimates and hazard ratios (HR) from Cox and Fine & Gray models were performed. Post-recurrence OS was analyzed as time from first distant recurrence (DR) until death. The post-recurrence OS model adjusted for both clin/path factors (including DR-free y, DR site) and time-dependent post-DR therapy (chemo, CDK4/6i). Results: 5,796 pts enrolled at 406 centers in 21 countries worldwide over 3 y. In the intent-to-treat (ITT) population, with a median follow-up of 82.7 months (mo), 7-y outcomes for iDFS, DRFS and OS are shown in the table. DR occurred in 781 pts (377 ET/P, 404 ET alone) with balanced pt/disease characteristics between arms. ET/P had more visceral (46% vs. 36%) and fewer non-visceral (61% vs. 68%) DR compared to ET alone (p=0.03). Unadjusted post-recurrence OS was significantly worse for ET/P vs. ET (median 22.6 vs. 27.9 mo, HR 1.21 (95% CI 1.01-1.46, p=0.04). However, receipt of any post-recurrence CDK4/6i was significantly higher on ET vs. ET/P arms (41% vs. 66%) and time to post-progression CDK4/6i initiation was significantly shorter for those in the ET vs. ET/P arms (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.41-0.61, p<0.001) adjusting for region, bone/visceral DR type, DR-free time and age. Conversely, time to post-progression chemotherapy initiation was significantly longer for ET alone vs. ET/P arms (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.07-1.61, p=0.01). However, after adjustment for clinical factors and post-DR treatment, the OS difference was no longer seen (HR 1.05, 95% CI 0.85-1.28, p=0.65). 3-mo landmark analysis showed similar effect on OS after adjusting for CDK4/6i initiation within 3 mo from DR (unadjusted HR 1.24, p=0.03 vs. adjusted HR 1.15, p=0.22). CONCLUSION: The PALLAS trial revealed significant differences in treatment post-DR that impact OS. Reduced/delayed use of metastatic CDK4/6i after adjuvant P was associated with significantly poorer OS, suggesting that patients who relapse after adjuvant CDK4/6i may still benefit from metastatic CDK4/6i. This has implications for optimal treatment in those who relapse after adjuvant CDK4/6i and warrants further study to determine if this is therapy-specific or an overarching biological effect. SUPPORT: AFT, ABCSG, NRG, PrECOG; Pfizer Citation Format: A. DeMichele, A. Dueck, M. Gnant, D. Hlauschek, M. Martin, A. Wolff, G. Rubovsky, F. Henao, O. Hahn, A. Chan, A. Brusky, P. Morris, H. Burstein, G. Huber, D. Anderson, L. Garcia-Estevez, G. Pfeiler, H. Rugo, N. Zdenkowski, S. Gampenrieder, N. Wolmark, D. Sabanathan, K. Miller, D. Cameron, E. Winer, C. Brunner, E. Gauthier, P. O’Brien, C. Fesl, E. Mayer. Adjuvant Palbociclib for ER+ Breast Cancer in the PALLAS Trial (ABCSG-42/AFT-05/PrE0109/BIG-14-13): Post-Recurrence Treatment and Overall Survival [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr RF7-07.
Abstract RF3-04: Tumor-informed circulating tumor DNA analysis to assess molecular residual disease for prognosis and prediction of benefit from palbociclib in the PALLAS trial
Parsons, H. A., Ballman, K., Heitzer, E., Watson, M., Balic, M., Renner, Derrick , Kalashnikova, E., Steger, G., Balko, J. M., Martín, M., Rodriguez, A. A., Dayao, Zoneddy , Chan, A., Gal-Yam, E. Nili, Liu, M. C., Isaacs, C., Los, Maartje, Gil, M. Gil, Felder, B., Denkert, C., Fasching, P. A., Liu, F., O'Donnell, T V, Mayer, E. L., Gnant, M., Symmans, W. F., DeMichele, A. M., Parsons, H. A., Ballman, K., Heitzer, Ellen , Hlauschek, Dominik , Kalashnikova, E. , Steger, G.G., Novik, Yelena , Rodriguez, A., Chan, Arlene , Gal‐Yam, Einav Nili , Liu, M. C., Isaacs, Claudine , Los, Maartje , Fasching, Peter A , O'Donnell, T., Gnant, Michael , Symmans, W. Fraser , DeMichele, Angela

Clinical Cancer Research | February 17, 2026 | Volume: 32 | Issue: 4_Supplement | Pages: RF3-04-RF3-04

10.1158/1557-3265.sabcs25-rf3-04 Get It

Abstract Background: PALLAS (PALbociclib CoLlaborative Adjuvant Study, NCT02513394) is a randomized phase III trial comparing two years of the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib combined with the physician’s choice of adjuvant endocrine therapy, versus endocrine therapy alone for patients with Stage II-III hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer. Molecular residual disease (MRD) detection via circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing was a predefined biomarker analysis to identify patients at highest risk of recurrence. Methods: PALLAS participants with available tumor block, at least a baseline (pre-study treatment) plasma sample, and either whole blood or buffy coat were randomly selected from the overall study population. Plasma samples on cycle 1 day 1 (C1D1), cycle 6 day 1 (C6D1), and at the end of treatment (EOT) were collected, processed, and stored. Nucleic acids were extracted from primary tumor tissue or, when primary tissue was insufficient, from post-neoadjuvant tumor tissue, provided the sample had sufficient material and tumor cellularity (>25 mm2 tissue area with ≥20% tumor nuclei). Data from next generation sequencing of tumor tissue and matched normal DNA were used to create a personalized ctDNA SignateraTM assay (Natera, Inc.) for MRD assessment in the peripheral blood. ctDNA was reported as mean tumor molecules/mL (MTM/mL) of plasma. The primary endpoint was distant recurrence-free interval (DRFI) based on ctDNA status. Cox Proportional Hazards models were used to evaluate prognosis and predictive interactions. To minimize bias, the biorepository and laboratory teams were blinded to participant identity. Results: In total, 1280 participants were randomly selected for inclusion in this preplanned ctDNA sub-study. WES and WGS are being conducted on tissue, and Signatera results will be generated. Results for association of MRD status (positive/negative) and MTM/mL with DRFI in the context of 7 year median follow up of this study cohort will be reported. Conclusions: The planned analysis is ongoing and the presented work will provide data from the first randomized phase 3 adjuvant study in HR+/HER2- breast cancer to report MRD status by treatment arm. Citation Format: H. A. Parsons, K. Ballman, E. Heitzer, M. Watson, M. Balic, D. Hlauschek, D. Renner, E. Kalashnikova, G. Steger, J. M. Balko, Y. Novik, M. Martin, A. A. Rodriguez, Z. Dayao, A. Chan, E. Nili Gal-Yam, M. C. Liu, C. Isaacs, M. Los, M. Gil Gil, B. Felder, C. Denkert, P. Fasching, F. Liu, T. O'Donnell, E. L. Mayer, M. Gnant, W. F. Symmans, A. DeMichele. Tumor-informed circulating tumor DNA analysis to assess molecular residual disease for prognosis and prediction of benefit from palbociclib in the PALLAS trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr RF3-04.
Abstract RF5-02: Tbcrc 056: a phase 2 study of neoadjuvant niraparib with dostarlimab for patients with BRCA- or PALB2-mutated breast cancer: results from the TNBC cohorts
Mayer, E. L., Leon-Ferre, R. A., Rozenblit, M., Santa-Maria, C. A., Isakoff, S., Specht, J. M., Tung, NM, Abramson, V., Desrosiers, Jennifer, Schubert, Adrian , Koca, Beyza , Tolaney, S. M., Winer, E. P., Krop, I. E., Wolff, A. C., Shapiro, G. I., Tayob, Nabihah, Guerriero, J. L., Graham, Noah , Leon‐Ferre, Roberto A. , Rozenblit, M., Santa-Maria, C.A., Specht, Jennifer M. , Tung, Nadine , Abramson, V., Schubert, A., Tolaney, Sara M. , Winer, E. P., Krop, I. E., Wolff, A.

Clinical Cancer Research | February 17, 2026 | Volume: 32 | Issue: 4_Supplement | Pages: RF5-02-RF5-02

10.1158/1557-3265.sabcs25-rf5-02 Get It

Abstract Background PARP inhibitors (PARPi) are active in patients (pts) with germline BRCA1/2 or PALB2 mutated (gBRCA1/2; gPALB2m) breast cancer (BC). Preclinical data suggest PARPi leads to intratumoral activation of the proinflammatory cGAS/STING pathway, recruiting CD8+ T cells, and sensitizing gBRCAm cancers to immune-targeted therapy. Prolonged preoperative treatment with PARPi monotherapy has demonstrated notable pathologic complete response (pCR) rates. The randomized phase II TBCRC 056 study evaluates the PARPi niraparib (N) with the anti-PD-1 antibody dostarlimab (D) as neoadjuvant treatment of gBRCAm or gPALB2mHER2-negative BC, with cohorts for both triple negative BC (TNBC, Arms A and B) and estrogen receptor positive (ER+) BC (Arm C). Results from Arms A and B are being presented. Methods Eligible pts (gBRCA1/2m/gPALB2m BC, T >1.0 cm, ER- (<10%), HER2-) were randomized to either Arm A: upfront combination N 200 mg orally QD and D 500 mg IV every 3 weeks (wks) for 18 wks (1 cycle = 3 wks), or Arm B: N monotherapy for 3 wks, followed by combination N plus D for 15 wks, with baseline (BL) and wk 3 tumor biopsies. After 18 wks, pts either underwent surgery or received additional preoperative systemic therapy (per MD choice) after an end of treatment biopsy if residual disease present. The primary study objectives are to evaluate pCR in Arms A and B combined, as well as change in stromal tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) from BL to 3 wks in each Arm separately; 46 pts and a target pCR rate of 50% provides 85% power to reject the null hypothesis of pCR < 30%. Results A total of 46 pts with TNBC enrolled to Arms A and B (38 gBRCA1m (82.6%), 8 gBRCA2m (17.4%), 0 gPALB2m). Median age was 39.3 years (range 24.8-72.8); 84.8% self-reported White, 6.5% Black, 4.3% Asian, and 8.7% Hispanic. Clinical stage distribution was 37.0% stage I, 45.7% stage II, and 17.4% stage III; most had ER- BC (42 ER <1%, and 4 ER 1-10%). Among all pts, 38 (82.6%) completed the target number of cycles of D, with mean cycles received 5.1. Five pts discontinued D early (3 inadequate response/progression, 2 unacceptable AE: LFTs, rash). A total of 38 pts (82.6%) completed 6 cycles of N, with mean cycles received 5.7. Seven pts discontinued N early (3 inadequate response/progression, 4 unacceptable AE: LFTs, anemia, rash (2)). Most common AEs (> grade 2) with D+N were anemia (26.1%), fatigue (21.7%), hypertension (15.2%), hypothyroidism (15.2%), and neutropenia (15.2%). Most common Grade >3 AEs with D+N were anemia (17%) and neutropenia (6.5%). Among all pts, 23 (50%) had a pCR at surgery (90% CI 37.1% - 62.9%), 12 (26.1%) had residual disease (4 RCB-I, 5 RCB-II, 2 RCB-III, 1 RCB not calculable), and 11 (23.9%) crossed over to additional preoperative therapy. The pCR rate exceeded the protocol efficacy criterion of >43%, a significant increase over null hypothesis. pCR rates were the same on Arms A (50%, 90% CI 31.1% - 68.9%) and B (50%, 90% CI 31.9% - 68.1%). Among 15 pts on Arm A with evaluable sTILs at BL and 3 wks, mean sTILs at BL was 16% (range 1% - 40%), and at 3 wks was 27.4% (range 0.5% - 60%), for an average increase of 11.4% (p=0.009). Among 22 pts on Arm B with evaluable sTILs at BL and 3 wks, mean sTILs at BL was 19.5% (range 1% - 75%), and at 3 wks was 42.1% (range 1% - 85%), for an average increase of 22.7% (p=0.0003). Among all pts, BL sTILs (continuous) were significantly higher among those who achieved pCR than those who did not (median 15% vs. 5%, p=0.03). There was no relationship between pCR and BL PD-L1 score, or pCR and ER-0 vs. ER-low. Conclusions In pts with gBRCAm early TNBC, 18 wks of targeted therapy using PARPi and anti-PD1 agents, with or without 3-week PARPi lead-in, resulted in a pCR rate of 50%, and a statistically significant increase in sTILs from BL to 3 wks. Further ongoing correlative work may identify best candidates for this non-chemotherapy-based approach. Citation Format: E. L. Mayer, N. Graham, R. A. Leon-Ferre, M. Rozenblit, C. A. Santa-Maria, S. Isakoff, J. Specht, N. Tung, V. Abramson, J. Desrosiers, A. Schubert, B. Koca, S. M. Tolaney, E. P. Winer, I. E. Krop, A. C. Wolff, G. I. Shapiro, N. Tayob, J. L. Guerriero. Tbcrc 056: a phase 2 study of neoadjuvant niraparib with dostarlimab for patients with BRCA- or PALB2-mutated breast cancer: results from the TNBC cohorts [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr RF5-02.
Abstract PS3-08-13: Exploratory analysis of palbociclib benefit in the PALLAS trial by SETERPR index and prior chemotherapy regimens (ABCSG-42/AFT-05/BIG-14-13)
Metzger, Otto, O'Brien, P., Ballman, K. V., Gnant, M., Watson, M. A., Chen, Eveline , Tran, Kevin, Martín, M., Balko, J., Nowecki, Z. I., Hahn, O. M., Denkert, C., Curtis, C., Liu, F., Dueck, A., Fesl, Christian , Mayer, E. L., Michele, A. De, Symmans, W. F., O'Brien, P., Ballman, K. V., Gnant, Michael , Hlauschek, Dominik , Balko, J. M., Curtis, Christina , Symmans, W. Fraser

Clinical Cancer Research | February 17, 2026 | Volume: 32 | Issue: 4_Supplement | Pages: PS3-08-13-PS3-08-13

10.1158/1557-3265.sabcs25-ps3-08-13 Get It

Abstract Background PALLAS trial compared palbociclib plus endocrine therapy (ET) vs. ET alone in stage II-III HR+/HER2- breast cancer. SETER/PR index quantifies transcriptional activity related to estrogen and progesterone receptors and serves as a measure of endocrine sensitivity. In CALGB 9741, low SETER/PR (< 0.75) - reflecting endocrine resistance - predicted survival benefit from adjuvant anthracycline/taxane-based treatment. In PALLAS low SETER/PR was associated with worse prognosis and early recurrence. Early recurrences driven by endocrine-resistant tumors may obscure the benefit of palbociclib by disproportionately contributing events from a more resistant population. We hypothesized that palbociclib efficacy might vary by endocrine sensitivity and prior chemotherapy regimen, with greatest benefit in patients with intermediate SETER/PR index. Methods Invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) was summarized with Kaplan-Meier plots and the treatment arms were compared with a log-rank test. Cox models estimated the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI) (significance level used was a two-sided 0.05). SETER/PR index was successfully obtained for 3,090 PALLAS patients (TransPALLAS ITT cohort, Metzger et al. ASCO 2024). SETER/PR index cut points (0.75 and 1.50) were proposed from previous studies comparing different adjuvant chemotherapy regimens. Results Table 1 summarizes the efficacy of adjuvant palbociclib by prior (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy regimen. Palbociclib was associated with longer iDFS in the group who received prior anthracycline-paclitaxel chemotherapy (AC-P), though the chemo regimen x palbociclib interaction term was not significant (Table 1). In the 1,132 patients from the TransPALLAS cohort who received AC-P chemotherapy, the 518 (46%) patients with intermediate SETER/PR (0.75≤ SETER/PR <1.50) had longer iDFS with palbociclib (HR 0.58; 95% CI: 0.40-0.84; p=0.004; 7-yr iDFS 80.2% vs. 68.4%), but this subset did not predict palbociclib benefit relative to all others, i.e., 206 (18%) patients with low SETER/PR (<0.75) and 408 (36%) high SETER/PR (≥1.50); P interaction=0.11. Exploratory analysis of SETER/PR index as a continuous variable in patients who received prior AC-P chemotherapy revealed a non-linear relationship with the hazard ratio favoring palbociclib observed in the subset with SETER/PR values between 1.1 and 1.8, compared to all others (P interaction=0.01). Conclusions In PALLAS, we observed a numerical benefit favoring palbociclib among pts treated with adjuvant AC-P; in this subset a moderate level of endocrine transcriptional activity (SETER/PR index between 1.1 and 1.8) predicted palbociclib benefit. These results are hypothesis-generating. Citation Format: O. Metzger, P. O'Brien, K. Ballman, M. Gnant, M. Watson, E. Chen, K. Tran, D. Hlauschek, M. Martin, J. Balko, Z. Nowecki, O. Hahn, C. Denkert, C. Curtis, F. Liu, A. Dueck, C. Fesl, E. Mayer, A. De Michele, W. Symmans. Exploratory analysis of palbociclib benefit in the PALLAS trial by SETERPR index and prior chemotherapy regimens (ABCSG-42/AFT-05/BIG-14-13) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS3-08-13.
Abstract PS4-09-29: Variation in weight loss and intervention engagement in the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) trial by language and ethnicity (Alliance)
Odai-Afotey, A., Ballman, K. V., McCall, L. M., Cao, C., Alfano, C., Bernstein, V., Crane, T. E., Delahanty, L. M., Frank, L., Goodwin, P. J., Hahn, O., Hershman, D. L., Hopkins, J. O., Irwin, M., Mayer, E. L., Minasian, L., Nebeling, Linda , Neuhouser, M., Paskett, E. D., Spears, P. A., Stearns, V., Thomson, C. A., Wadden, T. A., Weiss, A. C., White, J., Hudis, C., Winer, E. P., Carey, L. A., Partridge, A. H., Ligibel, J. A., Odai-Afotey, Ashley A , Alfano, Catherine M. , Crane, Tracy E. , Delahanty, L.M., Hahn, O. M., Hershman, Dawn L. , Paskett, Electra D. , Stearns, Vered , Wadden, T. A., Hudis, Clifford A. , Carey, L., Partridge, Ann H.

Clinical Cancer Research | February 17, 2026 | Volume: 32 | Issue: 4_Supplement | Pages: PS4-09-29-PS4-09-29

10.1158/1557-3265.sabcs25-ps4-09-29 Get It

Abstract BACKGROUND: Obesity is prevalent in Hispanic patients (pts) with breast cancer (BC), but this population is often underrepresented in studies of weight loss interventions (WLIs). The BWEL trial (Alliance A011401; NCT02750826) is a phase III randomized trial testing the impact of a 2-year (yr) telephone-based WLI on invasive disease-free survival in pts with stage II-III HER2-negative BC and a body mass index (BMI) > 27 kg/m2. At 12 months (mo), Hispanic pts lost less weight than White pts on the WLI. Here, we evaluate differences in intervention engagement over the first 12 mo by language preference and ethnicity among BWEL pts on the WLI. METHODS: BWEL randomized pts 1:1 to WLI + health education (HE) or HE alone. WLI +HE pts received semi-structured telephone-based health coaching in English or Spanish, in addition to access to an activity monitor, wireless scale and meal replacement shakes. Pts self-reported ethnicity and their preferred language for the WLI. Kruskal Wallis and chi-square tests were used to assess language and ethnicity differences in demographic and treatment factors for continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Percent weight change and mean values for intervention attrition, number of calls, call duration, number of shake shipments, and frequency of activity monitor use and weight tracking over 12 mo were compared between Spanish-preferred Hispanic pts (SH), English-preferred Hispanic (EH) pts and non-Hispanic (NH) pts using ANOVA. Pts with missing language, ethnicity or 12 mo weight data were excluded from analysis. RESULTS: 1591 pts were randomized to the WLI + HE from 08/2018 to 02/2021. 80.5% of pts were White, 12.8% Black and 7.1% Hispanic. 1190 pts had 12 mo weight and language available. Among the 87 WLI + HE pts who had available data and identified as Hispanic, 34% were SH and 66% EH. SH WLI pts were younger (in yrs: 49.5 SH, 51.1 EH, 53.9 NH, p=0.006) and had lower BMI (32.2 SH, 35.1 EH, 34.5 NH, p=0.007). At 12 mo, SH WLI pts lost 2.4% of baseline body weight vs 3.3% in EH and 5.1% in NH (p=0.051) (Table). Compared with EH and NH WLI pts, SH WLI pts participated in fewer calls (15.7 SH, 21.1 EH, 24.3 NH, p< 0.0001), had fewer days of activity monitor use (134.2 SH, 177.3 EH, 205.3 NH, p=0.015) and fewer days of weight tracking (65.3 SH, 96.8 EH, 148.2 NH, p<0.0001), but had more shake shipments (3.9 SH, 3.5 EH, 3.0 NH, p=0.015). There were no significant differences in attrition rate or call duration by language preference or ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: In a large phase III WLI study in breast cancer patients, engagement with the WLI appeared lower in SH pts, despite provision of the intervention in Spanish. More work is needed to improve accessibility and efficacy of WLI studies among non-English speaking populations. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882, UG1CA189823; https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org. Citation Format: A. Odai-Afotey, K. V. Ballman, L. M. McCall, C. Cao, C. Alfano, V. Bernstein, T. E. Crane, L. M. Delahanty, L. Frank, P. J. Goodwin, O. Hahn, D. L. Hershman, J. O. Hopkins, M. Irwin, E. L. Mayer, L. Minasian, L. Nebeling, M. Neuhouser, E. D. Paskett, P. A. Spears, V. Stearns, C. A. Thomson, T. A. Wadden, A. Weiss, J. White, C. Hudis, E. P. Winer, L. Carey, A. H. Partridge, J. Ligibel. Variation in weight loss and intervention engagement in the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) trial by language and ethnicity (Alliance) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS4-09-29.
Abstract PS2-07-13: Prognostic and predictive role of RBsig and CCNE1/RB1 gene-expression signatures for patients with early breast cancer treated with endocrine therapy with or without palbociclib in the PALLAS trial (ABCSG-42, AFT-05, BIG 14-03)
Malorni, L., Mayer, E. L., Benelli, M., Biganzoli, L., Migliaccio, Ilenia , Kermanidis, Anna Sophia, Pfeiler, G., Mamounas, E. P., Brufsky, A. M., Bellet-Ezquerra, M., Clifton, Katherine , Foukakis, T., Goetz, M. P., Lee, S., Ruiz-Borrego, M., Symmans, W. F., Ballman, K. V., Liu, F., Machacek-Link, J., Denkert, C., DeMichele, A. M., Gnant, M., Malorni, L., Hlauschek, Dominik , Benelli, Matteo , Biganzoli, Laura , Pfeiler, G., Mamounas, EP, Brufsky, Adam , Clifton, Katherine , Rubovsky, Gabor , Foukakis, Theodoros , Goetz, Matthew P. , Ruíz-Borrego, Manuel , Symmans, W. Fraser , Ballman, K. V., Machacek‐Link, Jana, DeMichele, Angela , Gnant, Michael

Clinical Cancer Research | February 17, 2026 | Volume: 32 | Issue: 4_Supplement | Pages: PS2-07-13-PS2-07-13

10.1158/1557-3265.sabcs25-ps2-07-13 Get It

Abstract Background: We have identified two potentially predictive signatures of palbociclib resistance: the RBsig, composed of E2F1/E2F2 dependent genes, which is associated with genetic loss of RB1, and the ratio between the gene expression levels of CCNE1 to RB1 (CCNE1/RB1). Both signatures have been previously analyzed in vitro and in neoadjuvant and metastatic studies with palbociclib. The present analysis aims to explore the role of RBsig and CCNE1/RB1 in the phase III adjuvant PALLAS trial, which randomized patients to palbociclib plus endocrine therapy, versus endocrine therapy alone. Materials and methods: Gene expression data from PALLAS were generated using the HTG EdgeSeq Oncology BM Panel. Of the 87 genes composing RBsig, 46 were available within the EdgeSeq dataset and were used for the analyses; CCNE1 and RB1 were both available. RBsig was calculated as the mean of the Z-score scaled gene expression (log) of the 46 genes; CCNE1/RB1 was computed as the log ratio between the mRNA expression of CCNE1 and RB1. The prognostic/predictive effect of the continuous signatures in terms of invasive disease-free survival (IDFS), distant recurrence-free survival (DRFS), and overall survival (OS) was evaluated using Cox proportional hazard models. Results: HTG data were available from 2,587 of 5,748 patients from the entire PALLAS intention-to-treat (ITT) cohort. As RBsig and CCNE1/RB1 levels are affected by pre-surgical treatments, we limited the analyses to 1612 pre-treatment samples (530 core biopsies and 1082 surgical specimens) (analysis population). Compared with the entire PALLAS ITT cohort, the analysis population was significantly enriched for patients with low clinical risk (41.3% vs 59.4%) who did not receive prior chemotherapy (17.5% vs 55.9%). In keeping with the PALLAS ITT cohort, no significant benefit from the addition of palbociclib was observed in the analysis population. Higher baseline RBsig or CCNE/RB1 values were significantly and independently associated with worse IDFS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-2.0; HR 1.22, 95%CI 1.1-1.3, respectively), DRFS (HR 1.94, 95%CI 1.5-2.5; HR 1.26, 95%CI 1.1-1.4, respectively) and OS (HR 1.79, 95% CI 1.3-2.4; HR 1.26, 95%CI 1.1-1.4, respectively) in the analysis population. No predictive effect of palbociclib benefit was observed for either signature in the analysis population, nor according to clinical risk or chemotherapy receipt. Interestingly, higher RBsig was strongly prognostic in patients who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy (HR 1.83, 95%CI 1.4-2.3) but not in those who received it (HR 1.01, 95%CI 0.6-1.6) (interaction p=0.02) suggesting a potential predictive role of RBsig for chemotherapy benefit. Conclusions: In the PALLAS trial, higher baseline RBsig or CCNE1/RB1 values are associated with worse prognosis, but are not predictive of benefit from palbociclib in the adjuvant setting. RBsig might be associated with differential benefit from chemotherapy. Further study of these biomarkers may strengthen their role in risk stratification.https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org Citation Format: L. Malorni, D. Hlauschek, E. Mayer, M. Benelli, L. Biganzoli, I. Migliaccio, A. Kermanidis, G. Pfeiler, E. P. Mamounas, A. M. Brufsky, M. Bellet-Ezquerra, K. Clifton, G. Rubovszky, T. Foukakis, M. Goetz, S. Lee, M. Ruiz-Borrego, W. Symmans, K. V. Ballman, F. Liu, J. Machacek-Link, C. Denkert, A. DeMichele, M. Gnant. Prognostic and predictive role of RBsig and CCNE1/RB1 gene-expression signatures for patients with early breast cancer treated with endocrine therapy with or without palbociclib in the PALLAS trial (ABCSG-42, AFT-05, BIG 14-03) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS2-07-13.
Abstract PS3-11-06: Long-term prognostic and predictive value of lobular histology in the PALLAS trial
Nader-Marta, G., DeMichele, A. M., Zoppoli, G., Azambuja, E. de, Metzger-Filho, O., Suga, J. M., Pfeiler, G., Goetz, M. P., Ruiz-Borrego, M., Loibl, S., Meisel, J. L., Ring, A., Mamounas, E. P., Lambertini, M., Gauthier, E., Soelkner, Lidija, Dueck, A. C., Gnant, M., Mayer, E. L., Marta, Guilherme Nader , Desmedt, Christine , Hlauschek, Dominik , DeMichele, Angela , Zoppoli, Gabriele M. , Blondeaux, Eva , Azambuja, Evandro de , Bellet, Meritxell , Suga, J.M., Pfeiler, Georg , Loibl, S., Baelen, Karen Van , Zdenkowski, Nicholas , Agostinetto, Elisa , Lambertini, M., Gauthier, ER, Dueck, A., Gnant, Michael

Clinical Cancer Research | February 17, 2026 | Volume: 32 | Issue: 4_Supplement | Pages: PS3-11-06-PS3-11-06

10.1158/1557-3265.sabcs25-ps3-11-06 Get It

Abstract Background: Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) accounts for up to 15% of breast cancer (BC) cases and has distinct clinical and biological features compared to invasive carcinoma of no special type (IBC-NST). Prior studies, including PENELOPE-B, suggested greater benefit from adjuvant palbociclib (palbo) in ILC. We assessed the prognostic and predictive value of histology in patients (pts) treated with endocrine therapy (ET) ± palbo. Methods: PALLAS is a global, phase III trial in which pts with stage II-III, HR+/HER2− BC were randomized to 2 years (y) of adjuvant palbo + ET or ET alone. Pts with IBC-NST or pure ILC per local pathology assessment were included. Endpoints included invasive disease-free (IDFS; primary), distant recurrence-free (DRFS), locoregional recurrence-free (LRRFS), and overall survival (OS). Prognostic value was assessed using univariable and multivariate Cox models adjusted for age, T and N stage, grade, and progesterone receptor. Predictive value was assessed using histology-by-treatment interactions. Results: Among 5,748 pts in the ITT population, 4,982 (87%) were included (3,838 IBC-NST [67%], 1,144 ILC [20%]); median follow-up 6.9y. Compared with IBC-NST, ILC was associated with older age (median 54 vs 51 y), higher T stage (T3/T4: 41.7% vs 20.4%), fewer grade 3 tumors (12.7% vs 33.5%), higher mastectomy rates (74.5% vs 58.4%), less (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy (72.2% vs 86.2%), and less tamoxifen as initial ET (28.8% vs 34.5%) (all p<0.001). ILC prevalence varied by country: lower in Asia (Japan 10.5%, Korea 0%, Taiwan 2.8%) and higher in Europe (23.1%) and North America (24.0%). When evaluating the predictive value, palbo appeared to confer greater benefit in ILC for all endpoints (HRs ranging from 0.41 to 0.86) and not in IBC-NST (HRs ranging from 0.97 to 1.01), although the histology-by-treatment interaction was significant only for LRRFS (Table). In the overall population, 7-year IDFS was 79.3% for IBC-NST and 75.8% for ILC. While the difference was significant in univariable analysis (HR 1.17, 95% CI 1.01-1.35), it was not in multivariable analysis (HR 1.06, 0.91-1.24). Notably, the proportional hazards assumption was violated, and time-dependent modeling demonstrated that worse outcomes for ILC on IDFS, DRFS, and other endpoints emerged predominantly beyond 3 years. Conclusions: In this large, randomized dataset of pts with early HR+/HER2− breast cancer with long-term follow-up, ILC demonstrated distinct clinicopathologic features and geographic distribution. While ILC was not an independent prognostic factor over the entire follow-up, time-dependent modeling revealed worse long-term outcomes which only emerged after 3 years. Palbo appeared to be associated with more favorable outcomes in ILC than in IBC-NST across endpoints. These findings suggest a potential benefit of palbo in ILC that warrants further investigation in other adjuvant trials evaluating CDK4/6 inhibitors. Citation Format: G. Nader-Marta, C. Desmedt, D. Hlauschek, A. DeMichele, G. Zoppoli, E. Blondeaux, E. de Azambuja, M. Bellet-Ezquerra, O. Metzger-Filho, J. M. Suga, G. Pfeiler, M. P. Goetz, M. Ruiz-Borrego, S. Loibl, J. Meisel, A. Ring, K. Van Baelen, E. P. Mamounas, N. Zdenkowski, E. Agostinetto, M. Lambertini, E. Gauthier, L. Soelkner, A. C. Dueck, M. Gnant, E. L. Mayer. Long-term prognostic and predictive value of lobular histology in the PALLAS trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS3-11-06.
Abstract PD9-07: The Genomic, Transcriptomic, and Immune Hallmarks of Metastatic Lobular Breast Cancer
Nader-Marta, G., Deshmukh, S. Kumar, Fanucci, K., Schnitt, S., Lee, A. V., Oesterreich, S., Wu, S. K., Xiu, Joanne , Advani, Pooja , Lin, N. U., Tolaney, S. M., Mayer, E. L., Metzger, Otto, Sledge, G. W., Jeselsohn, R. M., Marta, Guilherme Nader , Tarantino, Paolo , Oesterreich, S., Wu, S., Lustberg, Maryam B. , Tolaney, Sara M. , Jeselsohn, Rinath

Clinical Cancer Research | February 17, 2026 | Volume: 32 | Issue: 4_Supplement | Pages: PD9-07-PD9-07

10.1158/1557-3265.sabcs25-pd9-07 Get It

Abstract Background: Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is the second most common breast cancer (BC) subtype, accounting for up to 15% of cases. Although several biologic differences between ILC and invasive carcinoma of no special type (NST) have been described, most data are derived from primary tumors. In contrast, the biology of metastatic ILC remains poorly defined. This study aimed to investigate the unique genomic, transcriptomic, and immune landscapes of metastatic ILC using a multi-omic approach. Methods: This real-world study included patients with confirmed NST or pure ILC who had a biopsy of a metastatic lesion or a breast lesion in the setting of known metastatic disease. Tumors underwent whole exome sequencing (NGS 592, NextSeq; WES, NovaSeq), whole transcriptome sequencing (WTS, NovaSeq) (Caris Life Sciences, Phoenix, AZ). Demographic and baseline molecular features were compared across histologic subtypes. Tumor mutational burden (TMB; high ≥10 mut/MB) was assessed by NGS. Immune cell populations were estimated by RNAseq deconvolution (quanTIseq). Pathway enrichment analysis was determined by GSEA. Overall survival (OS) was defined from the date of biopsy to death from any cause using Kaplan-Meier estimates. Statistical tests included chi-square and Mann-Whitney U with multiple testing correction (q<0.05). Results: Among 2,651 metastatic BC samples (ILC n = 608; NST n = 2,043), patients with ILC were older (median 67 vs 63 yrs) and more likely white (81.5% ILC vs 73.1% NST), all p<0.05. By IHC, ILC were more frequently HR+/HER2- (83.6% vs 55.9%), less commonly triple-negative (11.9% vs 29.8%) or HER2+ (4.6% vs 14.3%), all p<0.05. PAM50 subtypes differed between ILC and NST: luminal A (Lum A) (31.1% vs 13.7%) and luminal B (Lum B) (44.9% vs 43.8%) intrinsic subtypes were enriched in ILC, while NST was more frequently basal (1.2% vs 22.4%) and HER2-enriched (19.8% vs 22.2%), all p<0.05. Within luminal BC, Lum B was more common than Lum A in both histologies, but Lum A was proportionally more frequent in ILC (ILC: 40.3% Lum A vs 59.7% Lum B; NST: 23.4% Lum A vs 76.6% Lum B), p<0.0001. Comparative multi-omic analysis focused on the 922 HR+/HER2- tumors (ILC n = 275; NST n = 647). Compared to NST, ILC had higher frequency of CDH1 (87.3% vs 6.1%), PIK3CA (52.7% vs 38.5%), FOXA1 (9.0% vs 3.4%), ERBB2 (7.1% vs 2.0%), ARID1A, and NF1 (both q < 0.05) mutations and TMB high (17.7% vs 9.9%), but lower frequency of TP53 (15.7% vs 33.3%), ESR1 (10.9% vs 18.1%) and GATA3 (2.3% vs 14.9%) mutations along with FGFR1 amplifications (15.3% vs 6.7%), all q<0.05. ILC had higher expression of androgen receptor (91.2% vs 83.5%, q<0.05) and higher MAPK activation score (-0.81 vs -1.19, q<0.05), consistent with a luminal, hormone-driven phenotype. NST tumors demonstrated enrichment of pathways involved in the cell cycle and metabolic activity, including E2F targets, G2M checkpoint, MYC targets, mTORC1 signaling, glycolysis, and unfolded protein response (NES: 1.5-2.7, FDR<0.25). ILC tumors had higher infiltration of B cells, dendritic cells, neutrophils, NK cells and M2 macrophages, but lower M1 macrophages, all q<0.05. ILC had differential expression of immune checkpoint genes (upregulation: CD274 (PD-L1), PDCD1 (PD-1), TNFSF14, CEACAM1, CD160, fold change (FC): 1.2-1.5; down: HAVCR2 (TIM-3): FC: 1.2), all q<0.05. Median OS (mOS) was similar between luminal ILC and NST (33.8 vs 35.4 months (mo); HR 1.0, 95% CI 0.91-1.3). No mOS difference was seen between Lum A ILC and NST (47.4 vs 50.5 mo; HR 1.0, 0.84-1.43), while Lum B ILC had worse mOS than NST (27.4 vs 35.3 mo; HR 1.3, 1.1-1.6). Conclusions: This study represents the largest cohort to date with multi-omic characterization of metastatic ILC, revealing distinct genomic, transcriptomic, and immune features compared to NST. These findings highlight the unique biology of ILC and may inform future subtype-specific therapeutic strategies. Citation Format: G. Nader-Marta, S. Kumar Deshmukh, K. Fanucci, P. Tarantino, S. Schnitt, A. Lee, S. Oesterreich, S. Wu, J. Xiu, P. Advani, M. Lustberg, N. Lin, S. Tolaney, E. Mayer, O. Metzger, G. Sledge Jr., R. Jeselsohn. The Genomic, Transcriptomic, and Immune Hallmarks of Metastatic Lobular Breast Cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD9-07.
Abstract PD8-01: Weight Trajectories in the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) Trial (Alliance)
Cao, C., Ballman, K. V., McCall, L. M., Alfano, C., Bernstein, V., Crane, Tracy E. , Delahanty, L., Frank, L., Hahn, O., Hershman, D. L., Hopkins, J. O., Irwin, M., Mayer, E. L., Minasian, L., Nebeling, Linda , Neuhouser, M., Paskett, E. D., Spears, P. A., Stearns, V., Thomson, C. A., Wadden, Thomas A., Weiss, A. C., White, J., Hudis, C., Winer, E. P., Partridge, A. H., Carey, L. A., Ligibel, J. A., Alfano, Catherine M. , Bernstein, V., Delahanty, L.M., Goodwin, Pamela J. , Hahn, O. M., Hershman, Dawn L. , Paskett, Electra D. , Stearns, Vered , Hudis, Clifford A. , Partridge, Ann H. , Carey, L.

Clinical Cancer Research | February 17, 2026 | Volume: 32 | Issue: 4_Supplement | Pages: PD8-01-PD8-01

10.1158/1557-3265.sabcs25-pd8-01 Get It

Abstract Background: Obesity is a poor prognostic factor in early breast cancer (BC). The BWEL trial (Alliance A011401; NCT02750826) is a phase 3 randomized trial testing the impact of a weight loss intervention (WLI) on invasive disease-free survival in women with stage II-III BC and a body mass index (BMI) ≥27 kg/m2. Here we report trajectories of weight change in BWEL WLI participants (pts). Methods: Eligible pts were within 16 months of diagnosis of stage II-III HER2-negative BC, had completed chemotherapy (chemo) and radiation (if given), and were randomized 1:1 to a telephone-based WLI, focused on caloric restriction and exercise, plus health education (HE) or to an HE-alone control group. WLI pts were assigned a trained coach at the BWEL call center and received 42 phone calls over the 2-year (yr) WLI period. Weight and height at baseline, 6 and 24 months were collected by study staff. All WLI pts were provided with a Fitbit wireless scale. Fitbit weight records (FWRs) were automatically imported to the BWEL portal for pts with wireless access and self-reported in the portal for pts without wireless access. FWRs were averaged (avg) by week (wk) from the WLI start date up to 104 wks. Baseline pt factors were self-reported; treatment history was abstracted from the medical record. Linear mixed-effect models were used to evaluate trajectories of weight change over the 104-wk WLI. Principal component analysis and multinomial models were used to examine distinct clusters of weight trajectories. Results: 3180 pts were enrolled from 637 sites between 8/2016 and 2/2021. FWRs were available from 1508 of 1591 WLI pts, with a total of 366,294 FWRs collected during the 2-yr WLI period. In pts with FWRs, mean baseline BMI was 34.4 ± 5.6 kg/m2, mean age was 53.2 ± 10.3 yrs, 10.8% self-identified as Non-Hispanic (NH) Black and 6.1% as Hispanic, 81.1% received chemo and 56.9% were postmenopausal. No statistically significant differences in baseline factors were observed between pts with and without FWRs. Intraclass correlation coefficient of baseline weights collected by study staff and by Fitbit scales was 0.99. In the WLI cohort, avg weekly weight (kg) decreased from 91.4 (95% CI: 90.6-92.3) at baseline to 85.6 (95% CI: 84.8-86.5) by wk 40, corresponding to a peak loss of 6.1% (95% CI: 5.7-6.4) of baseline weight. Weight remained stable until wk 52 and then gradually increased to 87.0 kg (95% CI: 86.2-87.9) at wk 104, corresponding to a 4.4% (95% CI: 4.0-4.8) loss at wk 104 vs. baseline. Principal component analysis identified 3 distinct weight trajectories: 67.6% of pts experienced peak weight loss of 6.6% (95% CI: 6.3-6.9) of baseline weight, 10.0% experienced peak loss of 17.5% (95% CI: 16.8-18.2) of baseline weight, and 22.4% did not achieve weight loss, gaining on avg 2.2% (95% CI: 1.7-2.6) of baseline weight. Pts with college (relative risk ratio [RRR]=1.41, 95% CI: 1.03-1.92) and post-graduate education (RRR= 1.58, 95% CI: 1.13-2.20) and those who were premenopausal (RRR=1.70, 95% CI: 1.28-2.26) were more likely to be in the cluster that did not lose weight. Pts who were NH White (RRR=3.60, 95% CI: 1.95-6.68), postmenopausal (RRR=1.94, 95% CI: 1.28-2.95), had no alcohol use (RRR=1.49, 95% CI: 1.03-2.16), had not received chemo (RRR=1.76, 95% CI: 1.15-2.72), and had <3 chronic conditions (RRR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.23-3.66) were more likely to be in the cluster with the highest weight loss. Conclusion: Longitudinal weight data from BWEL demonstrate peak weight loss of 6.1% in the WLI cohort at 40 wks, with distinct trajectories indicating differential responses to the WLI. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using digital health tools to track outcomes in the setting of a large-scale weight loss intervention study and informs future precision behavioral interventions in oncology. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882, UG1CA189823; U10CA180863. https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org. Citation Format: C. Cao, K. Ballman, L. McCall, C. Alfano, V. Bernstein, T. Crane, L. Delahanty, L. Frank, P. Goodwin, O. Hahn, D. Hershman, J. Hopkins, M. Irwin, E. Mayer, L. Minasian, L. Nebeling, M. Neuhouser, E. Paskett, P. Spears, V. Stearns, C. Thomson, T. Wadden, A. Weiss, J. White, C. Hudis, E. Winer, A. Partridge, L. Carey, J. Ligibel. Weight Trajectories in the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) Trial (Alliance) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD8-01.