Everolimus plus exemestane for hormone-receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative advanced breast cancer: overall survival results from BOLERO-2†

Ann Oncol. 2014 Dec;25(12):2357-2362. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdu456. Epub 2014 Sep 17.

Abstract

Background: The BOLERO-2 study previously demonstrated that adding everolimus (EVE) to exemestane (EXE) significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) by more than twofold in patients with hormone-receptor-positive (HR(+)), HER2-negative advanced breast cancer that recurred or progressed during/after treatment with nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitors (NSAIs). The overall survival (OS) analysis is presented here.

Patients and methods: BOLERO-2 is a phase III, double-blind, randomized international trial comparing EVE 10 mg/day plus EXE 25 mg/day versus placebo (PBO) + EXE 25 mg/day in postmenopausal women with HR(+) advanced breast cancer with prior exposure to NSAIs. The primary end point was PFS by local investigator assessment; OS was a key secondary end point.

Results: At the time of data cutoff (3 October 2013), 410 deaths had occurred and 13 patients remained on treatment. Median OS in patients receiving EVE + EXE was 31.0 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 28.0-34.6 months] compared with 26.6 months (95% CI 22.6-33.1 months) in patients receiving PBO + EXE (hazard ratio = 0.89; 95% CI 0.73-1.10; log-rank P = 0.14). Poststudy treatments were received by 84% of patients in the EVE + EXE arm versus 90% of patients in the PBO + EXE arm. Types of poststudy therapies were balanced across arms, except for chemotherapy (53% EVE + EXE versus 63% PBO + EXE). No new safety concerns were identified.

Conclusions: In BOLERO-2, adding EVE to EXE did not confer a statistically significant improvement in the secondary end point OS despite producing a clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement in the primary end point, PFS (4.6-months prolongation in median PFS; P < 0.0001). Ongoing translational research should further refine the benefit of mTOR inhibition and related pathways in this treatment setting.

Trial registration number: NCT00863655.

Keywords: everolimus; exemestane; hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer; overall survival.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase III
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Androstadienes / adverse effects
  • Androstadienes / therapeutic use*
  • Breast Neoplasms
  • Double-Blind Method
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Everolimus
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Placebos
  • Sirolimus / adverse effects
  • Sirolimus / analogs & derivatives*
  • Sirolimus / therapeutic use
  • Survival Analysis

Substances

  • Androstadienes
  • Placebos
  • Everolimus
  • ErbB Receptors
  • exemestane
  • Sirolimus

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT00863655