Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients with BRCA mutations (BRCAþ) benefit from platinum-based treatment more than noncarriers. Impaired ability to repair DNA by homologous recombination increases their chemosensitivity. We investigated whether BRCAþ predicts for improved outcome following pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) for recurrence. Recurrent EOC patients receiving second-or third-line PLD from 1998 to 2009 in 4 institutions (Tel Aviv, New York, Padua, and Jerusalem) were subjected to retrospective comparisons between 40 (25.8%) patients who were BRCAþ, and 115 (74.2%) deemed nonhereditary (NH). Median age was 59 years (range 31-83); 111 (72%) had a platinum-free interval more than 6 months [PLD alone (n ¼ 65) and PLD plus platinum (n ¼ 90)]; 104 received PLD in second-line and 51 in third-line. BRCAþ versus NH comparisons: median time to treatment failure (TTF) 15.8 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 11.4-21.6] versus 8.1 months (95% CI: 6.1-10.3; P ¼ 0.009); overall survival (OS) 56.8 months (95% CI: 32.5-indeterminate) versus 22.6 months (95% CI: 17.0-34.1; P ¼ 0.002). In multivariate Cox models BRCA status was significantly associated with TTF (HR ¼ 1.66; 95% CI: 1.08-2.55; P ¼ 0.02) and OS (adjusted HR 2.07; 95% CI: 1.18-3.60; P ¼ 0.01). Adjusted HR relating platinum sensitivity to OS was 1.58 (95% CI: 0.93-2.68; P ¼ 0.09); no significant association found with age at diagnosis, line of PLD or combinations, or institution. In this retrospective analysis, recurrent EOC BRCA mutation carriers treated with PLD had an improved outcome, and this result seemed to be independent of platinum sensitivity. Tumors arising in a background of defective BRCA function are more sensitive than other EOCs to DNA-damaging agents such as PLD, even after acquiring platinum resistance.
We have previously demonstrated high pathologic response rates after neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiation in patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). We now report disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in the context of pathologic response. 105 LABC patients (White 46%, Non-White 54%) were treated with paclitaxel (30 mg/m2 intravenously twice a week) for 10–12 weeks. Daily radiotherapy was delivered to breast, axillary, and supraclavicular lymph nodes during weeks 2–7 of paclitaxel treatment, at 1.8 Gy per fraction to a total dose of 45 Gy with a tumor boost of 14 Gy at 2 Gy/fraction. Pathological complete response (pCR) was defined as the absence of invasive cancer in breast and lymph nodes and pathological partial response (pPR) as the persistence of <10 microscopic foci of invasive carcinoma in breast or lymph nodes. Pathologic response (pCR and pPR) after neoadjuvant chemoradiation was achieved in 36/105 patients (34%) and was associated with significantly better DFS and OS. Pathological responders had a lower risk of recurrence or death (HR = 0.35, P = 0.01) and a longer OS (HR = 4.27, P = 0.01) compared with non-responders. Median DFS and OS were 57 and 84 months for non-responders, respectively, and have not yet been reached for responders. Importantly, pathologic response was achieved in 54% of patients with HR negative tumors (26/48). In conclusion, pathologic response to concurrent paclitaxel-radiation translated into superior DFS and OS. Half of the patients with HR negative tumors achieved a pathologic response.
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