Genome-wide association study of steady-state letrozole concentration in patients with breast cancer.

Authors

Daniel Hertz

Daniel Louis Hertz

University of Michigan College of Pharmacy, Ann Arbor, MI

Daniel Louis Hertz , Julie Douglas , Kelley M. Kidwell , Christina L Gersch , Zeruesenay Desta , Anna Maria Storniolo , Vered Stearns , Todd C. Skaar , Daniel F. Hayes , Norah Lynn Henry , James M. Rae

Organizations

University of Michigan College of Pharmacy, Ann Arbor, MI, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center and SWOG, Ann Arbor, MI, University of Michigain Health System, Ann Arbor, MI

Research Funding

Other Foundation
Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Background: Letrozole is a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor (AI) used to treat hormone receptor positive (HR+) breast cancer. Variability in letrozole efficacy and toxicity may be partially attributable to variable systemic drug exposure, which may be influenced by germline variants in the enzymes responsible for letrozole metabolism, including CYP2A6. The objective of this genome-wide association study (GWAS) was to identify genetic variants that affect steady state letrozole concentrations. Methods: The Exemestane and Letrozole Pharmacogenetics (ELPh) Study randomized 503 post-menopausal patients with HR+ non-metastatic breast cancer to exemestane or letrozole treatment. Germline DNA was collected pre-treatment and blood samples were collected after 1 or 3 months of treatment to measure steady-state letrozole concentration via HPLC/MS. Genome-wide genotyping was conducted on the Infinium Global Screening Array to the Haplotype Reference Panel ( > 2 million variants). The association of each polymorphism with square-root transformed letrozole concentration was tested in self-reported white patients via linear regression using the standard alpha for genome-wide significance (α = 5x10−8) assuming an additive genetic model and correcting for age and body mass index. Results: 228 patients met inclusion criteria and had all necessary data. Each variant allele of rs7937 a patient carried increased their letrozole concentration ~22.9 ng/mL (standard error = 4.01, p = 3.51x10−8, Table) and this variant explained 13% of the variability in letrozole concentrations. rs7937 is located ~50 kB upstream of CYP2A6, and has previously been identified in GWAS of CYP2A6-related phenotypes, including nicotine metabolism and lung cancer. Conclusions: This GWAS confirmed that steady-state letrozole concentrations are partially determined by germline polymorphisms affecting CYP2A6 activity. If letrozole concentrations affect treatment efficacy or toxicity, CYP2A6 genetics may be useful to individualize letrozole dosing to improve clinical outcomes in patients with HR+ breast cancer.

Wild-type
(n = 62)
Heterozygous
(n = 118)
Homozygous variant
(n = 48)
Mean (ng/mL) (±std dev) letrozole concentration74.6 (35.8)98.3 (43.2)120.4 (46.4)

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2020 ASCO Virtual Scientific Program

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Breast Cancer—Local/Regional/Adjuvant

Track

Breast Cancer

Sub Track

Adjuvant Therapy

Citation

J Clin Oncol 38: 2020 (suppl; abstr 538)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2020.38.15_suppl.538

Abstract #

538

Poster Bd #

30

Abstract Disclosures