Nine-weeks versus one-year trastuzumab for early-stage HER2+ breast cancer: 10-year update of the Short-HER phase III randomized trial.

Authors

Pier Conte

Pier Franco Conte

Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, and Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padua, Italy

Pier Franco Conte , Giancarlo Bisagni , Federico Piacentini , Samanta Sarti , Santino Minichillo , Elisa Anselmi , Michele Aieta , Vittorio Gebbia , A Schirone , Antonino Musolino , Ornelia Garrone , A Beano , Anita Rimanti , Francesco Giotta , Anna Turletti , Maria Vittoria Dieci , Roberto Vicini , Sara Balduzzi , R D'Amico , Valentina Guarneri

Organizations

Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, and Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padua, Italy, Medical Oncology Unit, Clinical Cancer Centre, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-IRCCS, Reggio Emilia, Italy, Reggio Emilia, RE, Italy, Department of Oncology, Hematology, and Respiratory Diseases, Modena University, Modena, Italy, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori IRST (IRCCS) s, Forlì, Italy, Medical Oncology, Bellaria Hospital, Bolonga, Italy, Department of Oncology and Hematology, ASL Piacenza, Piacenza, Italy, Medical Oncology, IRCCS-CROB, Rionero in Vulture, Italy, Kore University, Enna and La Maddalena Clinic, Palermo, Italy, S Anna University Hospital, Ferrera, Italy, University of Parma, Parma, Italy, IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy, Breast Oncology, Città della Salute e della Scienza, Torino, Italy, Azienda Ospedaliera di Mantova, Mantova, Italy, IRCCS Istituto Oncologico Giovanni Paolo II, Bari, Italy, Medical Oncology, Ospedale Martini ASL Città di Torino, Torino, Italy, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova; Oncology Unit 2, Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, Padova, Padova, Italy, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children & Adults, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Oncology 2, IOV - Istituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS -IOV, Padova, Italy

Research Funding

Other Government Agency
Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (grant number FARM62MC97).

Background: The ShortHER trial is a phase III non-inferiority, randomized trial comparing 9 weeks (short arm) versus 1 year (long arm) of adjuvant trastuzumab combined with chemotherapy in HER2+ eBC patients. The first primary end point of the study was the event-driven analysis of disease-free survival which was achieved in 2017, presented at ASCO 2017 and published in Annals of Oncology in 2018. The HR was 1.13 (90% CI 0.89-1.42) and the non-inferiority could not be claimed as the upper border of CI crossed the upper limit of 1.29 chosen as non-inferiority margin. According to a pre-planned Bayesian analysis, the probability that the short arm was not inferior to the standard one was 80%. Methods: 1254 HER2+ early breast cancer patients were stratified according to nodal status and randomized. Median age was 55 years (range 25-78); 672 (54%) patients were node negative, 383 (30%) with 1-3 positive nodes, 198 (16%) 4 or more positive nodes. At the time of the event-driven analysis, median follow up was 6 years, 200 DFS events and 78 deaths were reported. Here we report the overall survival,+ which was the second co-primary end point, updated DFS and outcomes according to nodal status. Results: Median follow-up is now 9 years, 248 DFS events and 116 deaths have been reported. The 10 year DFS is 77% in the long arm and 78% in the short arm (HR 1.06; 90% CI 0.86-1.31). The 10-year OS is 89% in the long arm and 88% in the short arm (HR 1.15; 90% CI 0.85-1.56). The DFS and OS data overall and by nodal status are summarized in the table below. Conclusions: At a median follow-up of 9 years, the ShortHER trial shows that 1 year trastuzumab is still the standard treatment for HER2+ eBC patients as non-inferiority cannot be claimed in terms of DFS or OS. Numerically however, the differences for the patients at low risk (N0) or intermediate risk (N 1-3) is negligible and patients with 4 or more positive lymph nodes have a clear benefit with 1 year trastuzumab. I. This long-term date can reassure clinicians if, for any reason a patient at low/intermediate risk has to stop trastuzumab and, more important, might facilitate access to a far less expensive treatment to the thousands of patients worldwide who cannot afford the cost of one year of trastuzumab. Clinical trial information: NCT00629278.

10-y Disease-Free Survival10-y Overall Survival

Subgroups (n)
LongShort HR
(90% CI)
LongShortHR
(90% CI)
ITT (1,254)77 %78 %1.06
(0.86-1.31)
89 %88 %1.15
(0.85-1.56)
N0 (672)81 %85 %0.74
(0.54-1.04)
89 %95 %0.57
(0.33-0.99)
N 1-3 (383)77 %79 %1.11
(0.76-1.64)
92 %89 %1.37
(0.77-2.44)
N > 4 (198)63 %53 %1.84
(1.24-2.75)
84 %64 %1.87
(1.11-3.14)

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2023 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Rapid Oral Abstract Session

Session Title

Breast Cancer

Track

Breast Cancer

Sub Track

Adjuvant Therapy

Clinical Trial Registration Number

NCT00629278

Citation

J Clin Oncol 41, 2023 (suppl 17; abstr LBA637)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2023.41.17_suppl.LBA637

Abstract #

LBA637

Abstract Disclosures