Elderly patients with hormone receptor-positive HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer treated with CDK4/6 inhibitors in a multicentre cohort

Cyclin-dependent kinases 4/6 inhibitors (CDK 4/6i) combined with endocrine therapy have become the gold standard in hormone receptor-positive (HR +) HER2-negative (HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (MBC). However, there is a significant lack of data regarding the efficacy and safety of these treatments in elderly patients. We present the results of a real-world data (RWD) cohort stratified by age at treatment initiation (≥ 70 years compared to patients < 70 years).

Clinico-pathological data of HR + HER2- MBC patients who were candidates for CDK4/6i therapy between January 2017 and December 2020 at the Institut Català d'Oncologia (Spain) were retrospectively collected. The primary goal was to assess Progression-Free Survival (PFS), Overall Survival (OS), and safety outcomes within this patient population.

A total of 274 patients with MBC who received CDK4/6i treatment were included in the study. Among them, 84 patients (30.8%) were aged ≥ 70 years, with a mean age of 75, while 190 patients (69.2%) were under the age of 70, with a mean age of 55.7 years. The most frequently observed grade 3–4 toxicity was neutropenia, with similar rates in both the < 70 group (43.9%) and the ≥ 70 group (47.9%) (p = 0.728). The median Progression-Free Survival (mPFS) for the first-line CDK4/6i treatment was 22 months (95% CI, 15.4–39.8) in the < 70 group and 20.8 months (95% CI 11.2–NR) in the ≥ 70 group (p = 0.67). Similarly, the median PFS for the second-line CDK4/6i treatment was 10.4 months (95% CI, 7.4–15.1) and 7.1 months (95% CI 4.4–21.3) (p = 0.79), respectively. Median overall survival (mOS) was not reached either for the first- and second-line treatment.

Our RWD suggests that elderly patients, when compared to those under 70, experience similar survival outcomes and exhibit comparable tolerance for CDK4/6i therapy.