A retrospective, non-interventional study of breast cancer patients diagnosed with ER+/HER2 negative, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer treated with palbociclib in Denmark

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Rasmus Garly
  • Tobias Berg
  • Maj Britt Jensen
  • Ann Knoop
  • Lone Volmer
  • Vesna Glavicic
  • Humma Khan
  • Peter Bo Poulsen
  • Jens Olsen
  • Kümler, Iben

Background: The recommended first-line treatment for advanced, ER+/HER2 negative breast cancer is a CDK 4/6 inhibitor in combination with an endocrine backbone. This study investigated the use of palbociclib, as first- or second-line therapy for advanced breast cancer patients in a real-world setting. Material and Methods: This retrospective, population-based study included all Danish, advanced breast cancer patients with ER+/HER2 negative disease who initiated first- or second-line treatment with palbociclib from January 1st, 2017, until December 31st, 2020. The primary outcomes were PFS and OS. Results: The study included 1054 advanced breast cancer patients with a mean age of 66.8 years. Median OS was 51.7 months (95% CI, 44.9–54.6) for all patients in the first-line setting (n = 728) and median PFS was 24.3 months (95% CI, 21.7–27.8). Patients treated in second line (n = 326) had a median OS of 32.5 months (95% CI, 29.9–35.9) and a median PFS of 13.6 months (95% CI, 11.5–15.7). In first-line setting, the PFS and OS were significantly different for endocrine sensitive patients treated with AI (aromatase inhibitor) (n = 423) vs. fulvestrant (n = 158) as endocrine backbone to palbociclib (median PFS AI 31.3 months vs fulvestrant 19.9 months, p = 0.002 and median OS AI 56.9 months vs. fulvestrant 43.6 months, p = 0.001). In endocrine resistant patients (n = 145), no statistically significant difference in PFS was shown (median PFS AI 21.5 months vs. fulvestrant 12.0 months, p = 0.09), whereas OS was significantly different (median OS AI 43.5 months vs. fulvestrant 28.8 months, p = 0.02). Conclusion: In this real-world study, treatment with palbociclib combination therapy met the standards of efficacy set by the phase III trials, PALOMA-2 and PALOMA-3, and the standards set by real-world studies in other countries. The study showed significantly different outcomes in terms of PFS and OS in endocrine sensitive patients comparing AI vs. fulvestrant as endocrine backbone to palbociclib as first-line therapy.

Original languageEnglish
JournalActa Oncologica
Volume62
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)290-297
Number of pages8
ISSN0284-186X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Rasmus Garly Hansen: Unrestricted research grant from the Danish Cancer Society. Tobias Berg: Institutional grants: Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Samsung Bieopis, Seattle Genetics, Merck, Eli Lilly and Danish Cancer Society. Personal grants (advisory board/presentation): Merck, Astra Zeneca, Pfizer and Novartis. Personal grants (travel): Daiichi SankyoMaj-Britt Jensen: meeting expenses from Novartis and Advisory Board Novartis. Ann Knoop: Personal grants (advisory board/presentation): Novartis, Seagen, Astra Zeneca, Pfizer and Daiichi Sankyo. Personal grants (travel): Astra Zeneca. Investigator or co-investigator in several research projects: Roche, Novartis, Astra Zeneca and Daiichi Sankyo. Lone Volmer: No conflicts to declare. Vesna Glavicic: No conflicts to declare. Humma Khan: Employee of Pfizer Denmark Aps and owns shares in Pfizer Inc. outside submitted work. Peter Bo Poulsen: Employee of Pfizer Denmark Aps and owns shares in Pfizer Inc. outside submitted work. Jens Olsen: Employee at Incentive Denmark Aps, which was a paid vendor to Pfizer Denmark on the project. Iben Kümler: No conflicts to declare.

Funding Information:
This study was funded by Pfizer Denmark Aps.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Acta Oncologica Foundation.

    Research areas

  • advanced breast cancer, Breast cancer, palbociclib, real-world evidence

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