Keytruda for breast cancer – pro
There is great interest in checkpoint inhibitors for multiply treated breast cancer. Results from a phase 1b “basket” (multidisease cohort) trial of pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck) for patients with advanced solid tumors expressing the programmed death 1 ligand (PD-L1) show that among 25 patients with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+), HER2-negative advanced breast cancer the overall response rate (ORR) was 12%, consisting entirely of three partial responses. An additional four patients (16%) had stable disease.
However, five (60%) patients had progressive disease, and three (22%) have not been assessed. Merck started a trial for tripe negative patients as well
San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) 2015: Abstract S5-07. Presented December 11, 2015.