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Neratinib and Capecitabine Improves PFS in HER2+ Metastatic Breast Cancer

Results of the NALA trial, published in Journal of Clinical Oncology, showed the combination of neratinib and capecitabine significantly improved progression-free survival in patients with centrally confirmed HER-2 positive, metastatic breast cancer. 

The study authors noted that the trial was considered successful “if either primary endpoint was met.” The patient population also included those with asymptomatic CNS disease.  

“Although overall survival has improved dramatically in HER2-positive MBC in the past decade, it remains much higher for de novo MBC than relapsed disease, and other challenges continue, including de novo and acquired resistance to HER2-targeted antibody therapy," Cristina Saura, MD, Principal Investigator, Breast Cancer & Melanoma Group, Vall d´Hebron Institute of Oncology, and colleagues wrote. 

In previous trials, neratinib has shown benefits in preventing and treating brain metastases in HER2-positive MBC.  

Previous trials have also shown the combination of neratinib and capecitabine was “active against refractory, HER2-positive breast cancer metastases with composite CNS overall response rates of 49% in lapatinib-naïve patients and 33% in lapatinib-pretreated patients.” 

Progression-free survival was improved in the neratinib group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.76; 95% CI, 0.63 to 0.93; stratified log-rang P = .0059) and the overall survival HR was 0.88 (95% CI, 0.72 to 1.07; P = .2098). 

The median treatment duration was 5.7 (IQR, 2.7-10.4) months for neratinib and 4.4 (IQR, 2.3-7.1) months in the lapatinib arm.  

Out of 621 patients, 611 had a treatment-emergent adverse event of any grade. A total of 196 patients had a serious treatment-emergent adverse event: 103 in the neratinib arm, and 93 in the lapatinib arm.  

The most common treatment-emergent adverse events overall were diarrhea, nausea, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome, and vomiting. Grade 3 diarrhea was reported in 74 patients in the neratinib arm and 39 patients with lapatinib.  


By Adam Hochron 

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