Abstract 2493: Prospective evaluation of predictive biomarkers for Palbociclib (P) and endocrine therapy (ET) benefit in hormone receptor (HR)-positive [+]/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative [-] advanced breast cancer (ABC) patients (pts) from PARSIFAL clinical trial: The transFAL sub-study
Authors: Albanell Joan , Pozo Angelo Gámez , Arteaga Carlos L. , Bellet Meritxell , Rojo Federico , González Abel , Bellosillo Beatriz , Serra Violeta , Gener Petra , Guerrero José Antonio , López-Montero Laura , Mancino Mario , Rodríguez-Morató Jose , Mina Leonardo , Pérez-García José Manuel , Cortés Javier , Llombart-Cussac Antonio 
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND Combining cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) with first-line ET is the standard of care for pts with HR[+]/HER2[-] ABC. PARSIFAL was a randomized, open-label, phase II trial that evaluated the efficacy and safety of first line P plus fulvestrant (F) or letrozole (L) in this pts population. Both treatments had comparable efficacy and safety results (JAMAOncol. 2021;7(12):1791-1799). Although multiple CDK4/6i clinical outcomes biomarkers have been reported, the only validated predictive factor for response is HR positivity. TransFAL, a translational study of PARSIFAL, assessed a comprehensive set of biomarkers of sensitivity/resistance to P plus ET.

MATERIALS AND METHODS TransFAL employed a sample biorepository from PARSIFAL comprising formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue and blood samples obtained from pts included in either study arm. Tumor samples (N=33) derived from the primary tumor at initial diagnosis or from primary tumor or metastatic lesions at study entry. Blood samples were obtained at baseline (N=73) and disease progression (N=22). Pts were categorized as sensitive or resistant based on progression-free survival (PFS). CDK4/6 pathway activation was assessed by immunohistochemistry for CDK4, CDK6, Rb, pRb, ER, PgR, and Ki67. Proteins extracted from FFPE slides were analyzed using hierarchical clustering, significance analysis of microarrays, and probabilistic graphical models. RNA expression and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis were assessed by next-generation sequencing (NGS) and analysis of panel of 56 genes/gene regions, respectively.

RESULTS A worse median PFS was found in pts with CDK6 positive (≥ 1% positive cells; p &lt; 0.001) and high Ki67 (≥ 10% positive cells; p = 0.013)at baseline. ctDNA density at baseline was significantly higher for resistant (PFS &lt; 9 months; 17.1 ng/mL) pts compared to sensitive (PFS &gt; 31 months; 11.3 ng/mL) pts (p &lt; 0.001). Most pts (83%) presented a genomic alteration detected in ctDNA, TP53 (28%) and PIK3CA (28%) being the most frequently mutated genes. Pts (9%) who harbored ARID1A mutation had lower PFS (p = 0.052). ESR1 mutations at progression were numerically higher in the L arm (37.5%) compared to F arm (14.3%); (p=0.31), but numbers were low. Proteomic and RNA analyses did not yield confirmable distinctive expression pattern between resistant/sensitive pts…

CONCLUSIONS High Ki67 levels and CDK6 expression in the tumor and high ctDNA density, but not proteomic or RNA sequencing data, were associated to poor outcome in this analysis of pts treated with CDK4/6i and ET. This data adds to the growing evidence of poor prognosis biomarkers in this setting, highlighting the need of novel strategies for these pts.

Citation Format: Joan Albanell, Angelo Gámez Pozo, Carlos L. Arteaga, Meritxell Bellet, Federico Rojo, Abel González, Beatriz Bellosillo, Violeta Serra, Petra Gener, José Antonio Guerrero, Laura López-Montero, Mario Mancino, Jose Rodríguez-Morató, Leonardo Mina, José Manuel Pérez-García, Javier Cortés, Antonio Llombart-Cussac. Prospective evaluation of predictive biomarkers for Palbociclib (P) and endocrine therapy (ET) benefit in hormone receptor (HR)-positive [+]/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative [-] advanced breast cancer (ABC) patients (pts) from PARSIFAL clinical trial: The transFAL sub-study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 2493.