The role of abemaciclib in treatment of advanced breast cancer. (30th May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McCartney, Amelia; Moretti, Erica; Sanna, Giuseppina; Pestrin, Marta; Risi, Emanuela; Malorni, Luca; Biganzoli, Laura; Di Leo, Angelo
• Is Part Of: Therapeutic advances in medical oncology. Volume 10(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-05-30
• Subjects: abemaciclib -- breast cancer -- CDK4/6 -- ER positive -- HER2 negative -- metastatic -- palbociclib -- ribociclib; Oncology -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Treatment -- Periodicals; 616.994005
• DOI: 10.1177/1758835918776925
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1758-8340

Abstract

Until recently, the mainstay of treatment in the majority of hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor 2 receptor (HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer (ABC) has consisted of single-agent endocrine therapy (ET). However, as understanding of endocrine resistance has grown, newer targeted agents have come to the fore. Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase complexes 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) combined with ET has shown significant activity in HR+ HER2− ABC, with impressive results in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) when compared with ET alone. This review summarizes the seminal findings pertaining to CDK4/6 inhibition in this population, specifically focusing on abemaciclib, contrasted with palbociclib and ribociclib. Potential directions for future studies are discussed, as a way of addressing outstanding issues such as establishing optimal treatment sequencing and agent combinations, appropriate patient selection to derive maximal benefits, predictive biomarkers and the employment of CDK4/6 inhibition beyond the ABC setting.