ALTTO (Adjuvant Lapatinib And/Or Trastuzumab Treatment Optimisation) Study; BIG 2-06/N063D
Condition: Neoplasms, Breast
MeSH terms: Breast Neoplasms
Intervention: Lapatinib; Trastuzumab
Intervention description: Small molecule inhibitor; Antibody
Intervention MeSH terms: Trastuzumab; Lapatinib
Phase: Phase 3
Study type: Interventional
Primary purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Masking: None (Open Label)
Enrollment: 8382.0
Sex: All
Minimum age: 18 Years
Healthy volunteers: No
Keywords: Adjuvant; ErbB2-overexpressing; Early stage breast cancer; HER2/neu gene amplified

Summary:

      This is a randomised, open label multi-centre phase III study comparing the activity of
      lapatinib alone versus trastuzumab alone versus trastuzumab followed by lapatinib versus
      lapatinib concomitantly with trastuzumab in the adjuvant treatment of patients with ErbB2
      overexpressing and/or amplified breast cancer. Patients will be enrolled according to one of
      two design schemas, with Design 2 having two chemotherapy options (Design 2 and 2B), and will
      be randomised to one of four treatment regimens within each design schema.

      The primary objective of this study is to compare disease-free survival (DFS) in patients
      with HER2 overexpressing and/or amplified breast cancer randomised to trastuzumab for one
      year versus lapatinib for one year versus trastuzumab (12 or 18 weeks, according to assigned
      design) followed by a six-week treatment-free interval followed by lapatinib (28 or 34 weeks,
      according to assigned design) versus trastuzumab in combination with lapatinib for one year
      (52 weeks). Secondary objectives include treatment comparisons with respect to overall
      survival, time to recurrence, time to distant recurrence, safety and tolerability, incidence
      of brain metastasis, and analyses conducted separately for cohorts of patients defined by
      presence or absence of cMyc oncogene amplification, expression level of PTEN and presence or
      absence of the p95HER2 receptor. On August 18, 2011, the ALTTO Independent Data Monitoring
      Committee (IDMC) met to review the first planned interim analysis. The IDMC reported that the
      comparison of lapatinib alone versus trastuzumab alone crossed the futility boundary,
      indicating that the lapatinib alone arm was unlikely to meet the pre-specified criteria to
      demonstrate non-inferiority to trastuzumab alone with respect to disease-free survival (DFS).
      The IDMC also stated that the other three arms (trastuzumab alone, sequential
      trastuzumab/lapatinib arm and the combination arm) should continue as planned with no
      changes.
    

Eligibility criteria:

        Inclusion Criteria:

          -  Age ≥ 18 years

          -  Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status ≤ 1;

          -  Non-metastatic operable primary invasive adenocarcinoma of the breast fulfilling the
             following:

               1. Histologically confirmed

               2. Adequately excised (exceptions: patients who have 'non-resectable' deep margin
                  invasion are eligible provided they have had or will receive radiotherapy
                  encompassing the region concerned; patients with histologically documented
                  infiltration of the skin (pT4) are eligible provided they have undergone or will
                  receive radiotherapy encompassing the tumour bed);

               3. Axilla dissected; sentinel node sampling is allowed provided that axillary
                  dissection follows confirmation of a positive sentinel node; sentinel node
                  sampling alone is NOT acceptable after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (in patients
                  receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy lymph node status will be considered unknown,
                  regardless of the results of post-chemotherapy axillary dissection);

               4. Axillary node positive patient OR node negative patient with a tumour greater
                  than or equal to 1.0 cm in greatest diameter. For clarification, isolated tumour
                  cells (ITC) are considered pN0 and micrometastases are considered pN1

          -  Known hormone receptor status (ER/PgR or ER alone)

          -  For Designs 1 and 2: Patients must have received at least four cycles of an approved
             anthracycline-based (neo-) adjuvant chemotherapy regimen or listed as an exception in
             Table 5 of the protocol.

        For Design 1: Randomization must be performed no longer than 12 weeks from day 1 of the
        last chemotherapy cycle after obtaining a post-chemotherapy LVEF ≥ 50. Study treatment must
        start no more than 14 days after randomization For Design 2: Randomization must be
        performed no longer than 6 weeks from day 1 of the last anthracycline-containing
        chemotherapy cycle after obtaining a post-anthracycline chemotherapy LVEF ≥ 50. Study
        treatment must start no more than 14 days after randomization and must be concurrent with
        taxanes.

        For Design 2B: Randomisation must be performed no longer than 8 weeks from definitive
        surgery. Non-anthracycline platinum containing regimen (docetaxel and carboplatin) and
        study treatment must start concomitantly and no more than 14 days after randomisation.

          -  Baseline LVEF ≥50% measured by echocardiography or MUGA scan. For Design 1 and Design
             2 - after completion of all anthracycline-based (neo-) adjuvant chemotherapy and prior
             to the targeted therapy(ies); for Design 2B - prior to targeted therapy(ies) and
             chemotherapy (docetaxel and carboplatin)

          -  Over expression and/or amplification of HER2 in the invasive component of the primary
             tumour (in case of neoadjuvant treatment, tissue sample used for HER2 testing should
             be collected before neoadjuvant treatment starts), according to one of the following
             definitions [Wolff et al 2007] and confirmed by central laboratory prior to
             randomization:

          -  3+ over expression by IHC (> 30% of invasive tumour cells);

          -  2+ or 3+ (in 30% or less neoplastic cells) over expression by IHC AND in situ
             hybridization (FISH/CISH) test demonstrating HER2 gene amplification;

          -  HER2 gene amplification by FISH/CISH ( > 6 HER2 gene copies per nucleus, or a FISH
             ratio [HER2 gene copies to chromosome 17 signals] of > than 2.2.) Patients with a
             negative or equivocal overall result (FISH test ratio of ≤ 2.2, ≤ 6.0 HER2 gene copies
             per nucleus) and staining scores of 0, 1+, 2+ or 3+ (in 30% or less neoplastic cells)
             by IHC are not eligible for participation in the trial.

        Equivocal local results may be submitted for a final determination by the central
        laboratory.

          -  Completion of all necessary baseline laboratory and radiological investigations

          -  Signed written informed consent (approved by an Independent Ethics Committee (IEC) and
             obtained prior to any study specific screening procedures).

        Exclusion Criteria:

          -  History of any prior (ipsi- and/or contralateral) invasive breast carcinoma;

          -  Past (less than 10 years) or current history of malignant neoplasms, except for
             curatively treated 1) basal and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin or 2) carcinoma in
             situ of the cervix.

        NOTE: Patients with a prior malignancy diagnosed greater than 10 years in the past who have
        been curatively treated with surgery ONLY, WITHOUT radiation therapy or systemic therapy
        (chemotherapy or endocrine) are eligible for the study. Patients with any prior diagnosis
        of breast cancer or melanoma, at any time, are excluded from this study.

          -  Any clinically staged T4 tumour, including inflammatory breast cancer;

          -  Bilateral tumours;

          -  This exclusion criterion has been removed as of protocol amendment 1.

        NOTE: multifocal/multicentric tumours are permitted:

          -  If the patient is node-negative: one of the lesions must be equal or greater than 1.0
             cm (sum of the lesion diameters is not acceptable) AND must have positive HER2 status
             centrally-confirmed;

          -  If patient is node-positive: lesion size does not matter BUT one of the lesions must
             have HER2 positivity centrally-confirmed. If several lesions are found to be HER2
             positive locally, the largest lesion should be considered for central review.

          -  Maximum cumulative dose of doxorubicin >360mg/m² or maximum cumulative dose of
             epirubicin >720mg/m² or any prior anthracyclines unrelated to the present breast
             cancer;

          -  (Neo-) or adjuvant chemotherapy using peripheral stem cell or bone marrow stem cell
             support;

          -  Any prior mediastinal irradiation except internal mammary node irradiation for the
             present breast cancer;

          -  Patients with positive or suspicious internal mammary nodes identified by sentinel
             node technique which have not been irradiated or will not be irradiated, or patients
             with supraclavicular lymph node involvement (confirmed by fine needle aspirate or
             biopsy);

          -  Prior use of anti-HER2 therapy for any reason or other prior biologic or immunotherapy
             for breast cancer;

          -  Concurrent anti-cancer treatment, except hormonal therapy or radiotherapy for the
             present breast cancer;

          -  Concurrent anti-cancer treatment in another investigational trial with hormone therapy
             or immunotherapy unless approved by the Executive Committee:

          -  Serious cardiac illness or medical conditions including but not confined to:

        History of documented congestive heart failure (CHF) or systolic dysfunction (LVEF <50%);
        High-risk uncontrolled arrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia, high-grade AV-block,
        supraventricular arrhythmias which are not adequately rate-controlled); Angina pectoris
        requiring antianginal medication; Clinically significant valvular heart disease; Evidence
        of transmural infarction on ECG; Poorly controlled hypertension (e.g. systolic >180mm Hg or
        diastolic >100mm Hg);

          -  Other concurrent serious diseases that may interfere with planned treatment including
             severe pulmonary conditions/illness;

          -  Any of the following abnormal laboratory tests immediately prior to randomization:

        serum total bilirubin >1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN), in the case of known Gilbert's
        syndrome, a higher serum total bilirubin (<2 X ULN) is allowed; alanine amino transferase
        (ALAT) or aspartate amino transferase (ASAT) >2.5 x ULN; alkaline phosphatase (ALP) > 2.5 x
        ULN; serum creatinine >2.0 x ULN; total white blood cell count (WBC) <2.5 x 10^9/L;
        absolute neutrophil count <1.5 x 10^9/L; platelets <100 x 10^9/L.

          -  Unresolved or unstable serious adverse events from prior adjuvant chemotherapy or
             radiotherapy;

          -  Malabsorption syndrome, any disease significantly affecting gastrointestinal function,
             or resection of the stomach or small bowel, or persons unable to swallow oral
             medication. Subjects with ulcerative colitis are also excluded;

          -  Pregnant, lactating or women of childbearing potential without a negative pregnancy
             test - urine or serum - within 7 days prior to randomization, irrespective of the
             method of contraception used, including tubal ligation;

          -  Women of childbearing potential and male participants with partners of child bearing
             potential, including women whose last menstrual period was <12 months ago (unless
             surgically sterile) who are unable or unwilling to use adequate contraceptive measures
             during study treatment (adequate contraceptive measures: intra-uterine device, barrier
             method - condoms, diaphragm - also in conjunction with spermicidal jelly, or total
             abstinence. Oral, injectable, or implant hormonal contraceptives are not indicated in
             this patient population);

          -  Concomitant use of CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers.