Long-term effect of neoadjuvant denosumab treatment in high-risk early breast cancer (GeparX)

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • T. Link - , Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (Author)
  • M. Reinisch - , Heidelberg University  (Author)
  • M. Just - , Central Hospital Bielefeld (Author)
  • M. Untch - , Fresenius AG (Author)
  • N. Filmann - , German Breast Group Forschungs GmbH (Author)
  • O. Stötzer - , Medical Center for Hematology and Oncology (Author)
  • C. Denkert - , University Hospital Gießen and Marburg (Author)
  • V. Bjelic-Radisic - , Helios University Hospital Wuppertal (Author)
  • P. Wimberger - , Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (Author)
  • M. Thill - , Agaplesion Markus Hospital Frankfurt (Author)
  • K. Rhiem - , University of Cologne (Author)
  • J. Huober - , Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen (Author)
  • C. Solbach - , University Hospital Frankfurt (Author)
  • C. Hanusch - , Red Cross Hospital Munich (Author)
  • K. Engels - , MVZ for Pathology, Cytology and Molecular Pathology Neuss (Author)
  • P. A. Fasching - , Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (Author)
  • A. Schneeweiss - , Heidelberg University  (Author)
  • V. Nekljudova - , German Breast Group Forschungs GmbH (Author)
  • J. Holtschmidt - , German Breast Group Forschungs GmbH (Author)
  • J. U. Blohmer - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • S. Loibl - , German Breast Group Forschungs GmbH, Goethe University Frankfurt a.M. (Author)

Abstract

Background: In the GeparX trial (NCT02682693), neoadjuvant denosumab, in addition to either weekly or days 1 and 8 (d1,8) q22 nab-paclitaxel (nPac)-based chemotherapy, did not improve the pathological complete response (pCR) rate in early high-risk breast cancer patients, while the concomitantly applied weekly nPac regimen resulted in a significantly higher pCR rate compared with the interrupted regimen. Patients and methods: GeparX is a randomized, open-label, phase II study comparing neoadjuvant treatment with or without denosumab and two different nPac schedules. Invasive disease-free survival (iDFS), distant disease-free survival (DDFS), overall survival (OS), and locoregional recurrence-free interval (LRRFI) were considered as time-to-event endpoints. Results: After a median follow-up of 62.3 months, there was no statistically significant difference in iDFS [hazard ratio (HR) 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.62-1.21, P = 0.39], DDFS (HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.54-1.11, P = 0.16), LRRFI (HR 1.41, 95% CI 0.76-2.63, P = 0.28), and OS (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.50-1.33, P = 0.41) between denosumab-treated and non-denosumab-treated patients. However, numerically fewer distant relapses occurred in patients with denosumab treatment (9.2% versus 13.8%). Denosumab treatment resulted in a significant risk reduction of 36% for distant relapse in the multivariate analysis (DDFS; HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.43-0.93, P = 0.02). There was no overall differential impact of the two neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) regimens (nPac weekly or nPac d1,8 q22) on long-term outcome in the total study population. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients without a pCR (non-pCR) had a significantly worse iDFS (HR 0.22, 95% CI 0.12-0.39, P < 0.0001), with a trend toward improved iDFS in those receiving weekly nPac at the 5-year landmark (iDFS rate at 60 months: 58.4% versus 72%). Conclusions: Denosumab as part of neoadjuvant therapy, although not improving the pCR rate, significantly reduced the risk of distant relapses. Other long-term outcome parameters did not differ between the treatment arms. TNBC patients, especially when not achieving pCR, seem to benefit from weekly nPac.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number105915
JournalESMO open
Volume10
Issue number12
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 41313969

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • breast cancer, denosumab, GeparX trial, nab-paclitaxel schedules, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, survival outcomes