Phase II study of lapatinib in combination with vinorelbine, as first or second-line therapy in women with HER2 overexpressing metastatic breast cancer

BACKGROUND: Lapatinib in combination with capecitabine is approved for the treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer whose tumors overexpress the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and who have received prior therapy including an anthracycline, a taxane, and trastuzumab. Based on our phase I trial, we conducted a single arm, multicenter phase II study of lapatinib in combination with vinorelbine. PATIENT AND METHODS: Women with HER2-positive advanced breast cancer, who had received up to one prior regimen for metastatic disease, were eligible. Prior trastuzumab was allowed. Patients received daily lapatinib 1500 mg orally and vinorelbine 20 mg/m(2) intravenously on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR). RESULTS: Forty-four patients received the combination treatment, including 48% as second-line therapy. The ORR was 41% (95% confidence interval [CI] 26–55%), including 9% with a complete response. Median progression-free survival was 24.1 weeks (95% CI 17–37 weeks) and median duration of response was 32 weeks (95% CI 18–42 weeks). Nearly 80% of patients did not require a dose reduction in lapatinib, although most patients required one dose reduction of vinorelbine secondary to neutropenia. The most common toxicities were grade 1 and 2 diarrhea, nausea, fatigue and rash, and grade 3 and 4 neutropenia. One case of grade 3 asymptomatic decreased left ventricular ejection fraction event was reported. CONCLUSION: The combination of lapatinib and vinorelbine was active, feasible and well tolerated in patients with HER2-positive advanced breast cancer. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2193-1801-3-108) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.