Abstract PO2-02-05: CDK4/6 inhibitor dalpiciclib combined with letrozole as neoadjuvant therapy in postmenopausal patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative stage II-III breast cancer: a single-arm exploratory trial
Authors: Zhang Lina , Yang Chao , Ma Jie , Li Yuntao , Luo Ruizhen , Han Jianjun , Wang Xiaochun , Zhang Zhisheng , Ma Li , Cai Haifeng , Kong Xiangshun , Wang Zunyi , Zhou Xinping , Liu Yueping , Shi JiaJie , Zhang Yanshou , Wang Meiqi , Wang Jiaxing , Geng Cuizhi 
Published: May 2024

Background: Patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer respond poorly to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The phase 3 DAWNA-1 and DAWNA-2 studies have proved that adding dalpiciclib (a CDK4/6 inhibitor) to endocrine therapy can significantly improve progression-free survival in patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. However, the evidence of dalpiciclib in the neoadjuvant setting is limited. This study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of dalpiciclib plus letrozole as neoadjuvant therapy in in patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative stage II-III breast cancer.

Methods: In this multicenter, single-arm exploratory trial (NCT05512780), adult postmenopausal women with HR-positive (estrogen receptor &gt;10%), HER2-negative stage II-III invasive breast cancer were enrolled. Patients received oral dalpiciclib (150 mg on days 1-21 of each 28-day cycle) and oral letrozole (2.5 mg once daily) for 4 cycles, followed by surgery. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR), assessed by investigator according to the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors version 1.1. Secondary endpoints included complete cell cycle arrest (CCCA, defined as Ki-67 &lt; 2.7% on day 15 of the first cycle) rate, total pathological complete response (tpCR; ypT0/is ypN0) rate, residual cancer burden (RCB) 0-I rate, and safety.

Results: Between June 2022 and January 2023, 41 patients were screened at 9 sites, and 35 patients were enrolled and received at least one dose of study drug. The median age was 66 years (range, 52-83), and the median baseline Ki-67 level was 20% (range, 4%-40%). The majority of patients had T2 disease (65.7%), lymph node-positive disease (88.6%), and stage II disease (IIA: 45.7%; IIB: 40.0%). The ORR was 35.5% (11/31) at 8 weeks and 51.7% (15/29) at 16 weeks in patients with evaluable response. The CCCA rate was 70.0% (21/30) in patients with available data. Four patients refused surgery and chose to continue the drug therapy. Of 27 patients who had undergone surgery, one (3.7%) patient had tpCR and RCB 0. Of 35 patients, the most common adverse events were neutrophil count decreased (74.3%), white blood cell decreased (68.6%), anemia (34.3%), and fatigue (31.4%). The most common grade 3 or higher adverse event was neutrophil count decreased (45.7%). No febrile neutropenia or treatment-related deaths occurred.

Conclusions: This is the first prospective study of neoadjuvant dalpiciclib in patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. The findings suggest the promising tumor response to neoadjuvant dalpiciclib plus letrozole in postmenopausal patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, with a manageable safety profile. This combination can effectively suppress the tumor cell proliferation, as reflected by change in Ki-67 level.

Citation Format: Lina Zhang, Chao Yang, Jie Ma, Yuntao Li, Ruizhen Luo, Jianjun Han, Xiaochun Wang, Zhisheng Zhang, Li Ma, Haifeng Cai, Xiangshun Kong, Zunyi Wang, Xinping Zhou, Yueping Liu, JiaJie Shi, Yanshou Zhang, Meiqi Wang, Jiaxing Wang, Cuizhi Geng. CDK4/6 inhibitor dalpiciclib combined with letrozole as neoadjuvant therapy in postmenopausal patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative stage II-III breast cancer: a single-arm exploratory trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO2-02-05.