Conditions: Breast Cancer
Keywords: Breast Cancer HER2-neu
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 537
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The objective of this phase-III trial is to compare the efficacy and safety of sorafenib in combination with capecitabine versus capecitabine in combination with placebo in the treatment of subjects with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer who are resistant to or have failed prior taxane and an anthracycline or for whom further anthracycline therapy is not indicated. After signing consent there can be up to 28 days before starting the treatment during which time a number of tests will be carried out which will include tumor evaluations and medical history. The following tests and evaluations will have to be done within 7 days of the start of treatment,on Day 1 of every cycle and at the end of study: Electrocardiogram, blood tests, patient quality of life questionnaires and a complete physical exam and vital signs. Treatment will be given in 21 day cycles with sorafenib/placebo to be taken every day for 21 days and capecitabine to be taken for the first 14 days. Patients will come in weekly for the first 6 weeks and then on Day1 for every cycle after the first 2 cycles. During the weekly visits the subjects will be check for any side effects and blood draws will happen for the study on Day 1 of each cycle. Subjects will be followed for overall survival.

Detailed description:
Research summary (NRES, UK):

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women worldwide.

However, despite advances in treatment of the early-stage disease, about 25-40% of patients will develop recurrence or spread to other parts of the body that is largely incurable. The average survival of patients with breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (metastasis) is 2 to 3 years after diagnosis, and although a number of treatment options are available, including various chemotherapy agents, no single standard of care exists.

The study drug (Sorafenib) works by inhibiting certain pathways in the body that contribute to tumour growth and the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis). Angiogenesis plays an important role in the development, transformation and spread of breast cancer. Capecitabine is an approved chemotherapy drug for patients whose breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic) and is not responsive to other classes of chemotherapy drugs.

Data from a Phase IIb clinical study suggests that there is a role for the combination of Sorafenib and Capecitabine to treat locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer.

Patients in this confirmatory Phase III study will be randomly assigned to receive either:

* Capecitabine + Sorafenib
* Capecitabine + placebo ("dummy medication" with no active drug)

Participants will continue to receive treatments until there is radiographic or clinical progression of disease, side effects which require them to withdraw, pregnancy, protocol non-compliance or withdrawal of consent. Therefore length of participation will vary for individuals. This study is expected to close 31 March 2013.

This is a multicentre study which will take place across Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australia and South Africa. It is anticipated that approximately 519 participants will be recruited worldwide.

Arms:
arm 1: Capecitabine was administered orally at a dose of 1,000 milligram per square meter (mg/m\^2) twice daily (12 hours apart) on Days 1 through 14 of each 21-day cycle. Sorafenib was administered orally at a dose of 600 mg (200 mg in the morning, 400 mg in the evening) daily, continuously (that is, Days 1 to 21, inclusive). A treatment cycle consisted of 21 days. If tolerability criteria were met for a subject, capecitabine dose was escalated to 1,250 mg/m\^2 twice daily and sorafenib dose to a total daily dose of 800 mg for that subject. arm 2: Capecitabine was administered orally at a dose of 1,000 mg/m\^2 twice daily (12 hours apart) on Days 1 through 14 of each 21-day cycle. Placebo matching to sorafenib was administered orally, 3 tablets (1 tablet in the morning, 2 tablets in the evening) daily, continuously (that is, Days 1 to 21, inclusive). A treatment cycle consisted of 21 days. If tolerability criteria were met for a subject, capecitabine dose was escalated to 1,250 mg/m\^2 twice daily and placebo dose to a total daily dose of 4 tablets (2 tablets twice daily) for that subject.

Interventions: intervention 1: Sorafenib (Nexavar, BAY43-9006) intervention 2: Placebo intervention 3: Capecitabine
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Capecitabine was administered orally at a dose of 1,000 milligram per square meter (mg/m\^2) twice daily (12 hours apart) on Days 1 through 14 of each 21-day cycle. Sorafenib was administered orally at a dose of 600 mg (200 mg in the morning, 400 mg in the evening) daily, continuously (that is, Days 1 to 21, inclusive). A treatment cycle consisted of 21 days. If tolerability criteria were met for a subject, capecitabine dose was escalated to 1,250 mg/m\^2 twice daily and sorafenib dose to a total daily dose of 800 mg for that subject. intervention 2: Capecitabine was administered orally at a dose of 1,000 mg/m\^2 twice daily (12 hours apart) on Days 1 through 14 of each 21-day cycle. Placebo matching to sorafenib was administered orally, 3 tablets (1 tablet in the morning, 2 tablets in the evening) daily, continuously (that is, Days 1 to 21, inclusive). A treatment cycle consisted of 21 days. If tolerability criteria were met for a subject, capecitabine dose was escalated to 1,250 mg/m\^2 twice daily and placebo dose to a total daily dose of 4 tablets (2 tablets twice daily) for that subject. intervention 3: Capecitabine was administered orally at a dose of 1,000 milligram per square meter (mg/m\^2) twice daily (12 hours apart) on Days 1 through 14 of each 21-day cycle.days. If tolerability criteria were met for a subject, capecitabine dose was escalated to 1,250 mg/m\^2 twice daily,

Protocol document: