All-oral combination of lapatinib and capecitabine in patients with brain metastases from HER2-positive breast cancer – A phase II study

PurposeApproximately one-third of patients with advanced, HER2+ve breast cancer (BC) develop brain metastases (BMs). The aim of this study is to investigate efficacy and tolerability of the combination of lapatinib and capecitabine (LC) in HER2+ve BC patients with brain metastases (BCBM).Patients and methodsBetween January 2011 and January 2013, 21 patients with HER2+ve BCBM were included. Sixteen patients (76.19%) progressed after whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) and 5 patients (23.81%) were treatment-naïve for BM. Patients received lapatinib (1250 mg/day continuously) and capecitabine (2000 mg/m2 on days 1–14 of a 21-day cycle). All patients were treated with trastuzumab either in the adjuvant or metastatic setting. No patients had received prior lapatinib and/or capecitabine. End-points were response rate (RR), progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and toxicity.ResultsThe overall response rate (ORR) was 33.3% (7/21) and all were partial response. For patients receiving prior WBRT and patients receiving LC as first line treatment for BCBM the ORR was 31.2% (5/16) and 40.0% (2/5) respectively. Median PFS was 5.5 months. Median OS was 11 months. Treatment-related adverse events were manageable. Grade 3–4 toxicities were hand-foot syndrome (14.3%), diarrhea (14.3%), nausea/vomiting (9.5%), mucositis (4.8%), and skin rash (4.8%).ConclusionThe combination of LC is active and well-tolerated treatment in patients with HER2+ve BCBM.