A randomized phase II trial investigating the effect of platelet function inhibition on circulating tumor cells in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
Roop, Ryan P.; Naughton, Michael J.; Van Poznak, Catherineet al.
2013 • In Clinical Breast Cancer, 13 (6), p. 409-15
[en] BACKGROUND: Blockade of platelet activation and aggregation can inhibit metastasis in preclinical models and is associated with cancer prevention. To test whether disruption of platelet function with clopidogrel and aspirin would decrease the number of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with metastatic breast cancer, a randomized phase II study was performed. METHODS: Patients with metastatic breast cancer who were not currently receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy were eligible. Patients were randomized to receive either clopidogrel and aspirin or to a control group receiving no treatment. Phlebotomy was performed at baseline, at 2 and 4 weeks, and monthly thereafter to obtain specimens to assess CTC, platelet aggregation, and thrombin activity. The primary end point was the proportion of patients with detectable CTCs at 1 month. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients were enrolled and 42 were evaluable at 1 month. Baseline CTC numbers were >/= 5 in 13% and >/= 1 in 65% of patients. Despite adequate platelet function inhibition in the treatment group, the proportion of patients with detectable CTCs was similar between the clopidogrel/aspirin and control groups at baseline (P = .21) and 4 weeks (P = .75), showing no treatment effect. Measured endogenous thrombin potential did not correlate with CTC number. No bleeding-related serious adverse events (SAEs) occurred. CONCLUSION: The baseline CTC numbers were lower than expected, decreasing the ability to detect an impact of platelet inhibition on CTCs. Clopidogrel and aspirin were well tolerated. Future studies evaluating the potential therapeutic role of antiplatelet therapy in breast cancer remain of interest, and they may be informed by these results.
Research center :
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB): Medical Translational Research (J. Schneider Group)
Disciplines :
Biochemistry, biophysics & molecular biology
Author, co-author :
Roop, Ryan P.
Naughton, Michael J.
Van Poznak, Catherine
Schneider, Jochen ; University of Luxembourg > Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB)
Lammers, Philip E.
Pluard, Timothy J.
Johnson, Farley
Eby, Charles S.
Weilbaecher, Katherine N.
External co-authors :
yes
Language :
English
Title :
A randomized phase II trial investigating the effect of platelet function inhibition on circulating tumor cells in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
Publication date :
2013
Journal title :
Clinical Breast Cancer
ISSN :
1526-8209
Publisher :
Cancer Information Group, United States
Volume :
13
Issue :
6
Pages :
409-15
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Commentary :
Copyright (c) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.