Palbociclib for Residual High-Risk Invasive HR-Positive and HER2-Negative Early Breast Cancer-The Penelope-B Trial

J Clin Oncol. 2021 May 10;39(14):1518-1530. doi: 10.1200/JCO.20.03639. Epub 2021 Apr 1.

Abstract

Purpose: About one third of patients with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative breast cancer who have residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) will relapse. Thus, additional therapy is needed. Palbociclib is a cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitor demonstrating efficacy in the metastatic setting.

Patients and methods: PENELOPE-B (NCT01864746) is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III study in women with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative primary breast cancer without a pathological complete response after taxane-containing NACT and at high risk of relapse (clinical pathological staging-estrogen receptor grading score ≥ 3 or 2 and ypN+). Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive 13 cycles of palbociclib 125 mg once daily or placebo on days 1-21 in a 28-day cycle in addition to endocrine therapy (ET). Primary end point is invasive disease-free survival (iDFS). Final analysis was planned after 290 iDFS events with a two-sided efficacy boundary P < .0463 because of two interim analyses.

Results: One thousand two hundred fifty patients were randomly assigned. The median age was 49.0 years (range, 19-79), and the majority were ypN+ with Ki-67 ≤ 15%; 59.4% of patients had a clinical pathological staging-estrogen receptor grading score ≥ 3. 50.1% received aromatase inhibitor, and 33% of premenopausal women received a luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analog in addition to either tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor. After a median follow-up of 42.8 months (92% complete), 308 events were confirmed. Palbociclib did not improve iDFS versus placebo added to ET-stratified hazard ratio, 0.93 (95% repeated CI, 0.74 to 1.17) and two-sided weighted log-rank test (Cui, Hung, and Wang) P = .525. There was no difference among the subgroups. Most common related serious adverse events were infections and vascular disorders in 113 (9.1%) patients with no difference between the treatment arms. Eight fatal serious adverse events (two palbociclib and six placebo) were reported.

Conclusion: Palbociclib for 1 year in addition to ET did not improve iDFS in women with residual invasive disease after NACT.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Breast Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / mortality
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Ki-67 Antigen / analysis
  • Medication Adherence
  • Middle Aged
  • Piperazines / adverse effects
  • Piperazines / therapeutic use*
  • Pyridines / adverse effects
  • Pyridines / therapeutic use*
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / analysis*
  • Receptors, Estrogen / analysis*
  • Tamoxifen / therapeutic use
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Ki-67 Antigen
  • Piperazines
  • Pyridines
  • Receptors, Estrogen
  • Tamoxifen
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • palbociclib

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT01864746