Thursday, 7 October 2021

 


Treatment and outcomes of older versus younger women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in the real-world national ESME database

 

tby Annonay Mylène, Gauquelin Lisa, Geiss Romain, Ung Mony, Cristol-Dalstein Laurence, Mouret-Reynier Marie-Ange, Goncalves Anthony, Abadie-Lacourtoisie Sophie, Francois Eric, Perrin Christophe, Le Fel Johan, Lorgis Véronique, Servent Véronique, Uwer Lionel, Jouannaud Christelle, Leheurteur Marianne, Joly Florence, Campion Loic, Courtinard Coralie, Villacroux Olivier, Petit Thierry, Soubeyran Pierre, Terret Catherine, Bellera Carine, Brain Etienne, Delaloge Suzette 

 

The Breast: VOLUME 60, P138-146, DECEMBER 01, 2021

 

 Background

Treatment and outcomes of patients with HER2-positive (HER2+) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) have dramatically improved over the past 20 years. This work evaluated treatment patterns and outcomes according to age.

Methods

Women who initiated a treatment for HER2+ MBC between 2008 and 2016 in one of the 18 French comprehensive centers part of the ESME program were included. Objectives were the description of first-line treatment patterns, overall survival (OS), first-line progression-free survival (PFS), and prognostic factors among patients aged 70 years or more (70+), or less than 70 (<70).

Results

Of 4045 women diagnosed with an HER2+ MBC, 814 (20%) were 70+. Standard first-line treatment (chemotherapy combined with an anti-HER2 therapy) was prescribed in 65% of 70+ versus 89% of <70 patients (p < 0.01). Median OS was 49.2 (95% CI, 47.1–52.4), 35.3 (95% CI, 31.5–37.0) and 54.2 months (95% CI, 50.8–55.7) in the whole population, in patients 70+ and <70, respectively. Corresponding median PFS1 were 12.8 (95% CI, 12.3–13.3), 11.1 (95% CI, 10.0–12.3) and 13.2 months (95% CI, 12.7–13.9), respectively. In 70+ women, initiation of non-standard first-line treatment had an independent detrimental time-varying effect on both OS and PFS (HR on OS at 1 year: chemotherapy without anti-HER2 2.79 [95% CI: 2.05–3.79]; endocrine therapy and/or anti-HER2 1.96 [95% CI: 1.43–2.69]).

Conclusions

In this large retrospective real-life database, older women with HER2+ MBC received standard first-line treatment less frequently than younger ones. This was independently associated with a worse outcome, but confounding factors and usual selection biases cannot be ruled out.