Phase I study of everolimus plus weekly paclitaxel and trastuzumab in patients with metastatic breast cancer pretreated with trastuzumab.

PURPOSE: To determine the recommended dose of everolimus, a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor, combined with paclitaxel and trastuzumab in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer pretreated with trastuzumab.

METHODS: In this phase Ib, multicenter, dose-escalation study, patients were treated with everolimus 5 mg/d, 10 mg/d, or 30 mg/wk in combination with paclitaxel (80 mg/m(2) days 1, 8, and 15 every 4 weeks) and trastuzumab (2 mg/kg weekly). End points included end-of-cycle 1 dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) rate (primary end point), safety, relative dose intensity of study drugs, overall response rate (ORR), and pharmacokinetics.

RESULTS: Of 33 patients enrolled, 31 were pretreated with taxanes, and 32 were resistant to trastuzumab. Patients received a median of two lines of chemotherapy in the metastatic setting (range, 0 to 17 lines). Three patients experienced cycle 1 DLTs: febrile neutropenia (5 mg/d), stomatitis (10 mg/d), and confusion (30 mg/wk). Grade 3 to 4 neutropenia was the most common toxicity observed (n = 17 patients [52%]). On the basis of observed DLTs and overall safety, 10 mg/d was recommended for additional development. Twenty-seven patients had measurable disease and were evaluable for efficacy. Among these patients, ORR was 44%. Overall disease was controlled for 6 months or more in 74%. Median progression-free survival was 34 weeks (95% CI, 29.1 to 40.7 weeks). Among 11 patients who were resistant to both trastuzumab and taxane, a similar level of antitumor activity was observed (ORR, 55%).

CONCLUSION: Everolimus combined with weekly paclitaxel and trastuzumab was generally well tolerated and had encouraging antitumor activity in patients with trastuzumab-pretreated and -resistant metastatic HER2-overexpressing breast cancer.