Concurrent use of palbociclib and radiation therapy: single-centre experience and review of the literature

Br J Cancer. 2020 Sep;123(6):905-908. doi: 10.1038/s41416-020-0957-9. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Abstract

Palbociclib in combination with endocrine therapy increases progression-free survival in patients with ER-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer (BC). In this study, we retrospectively evaluated safety in the first patient treated with concurrent use of palbociclib and radiation therapy (RT) in the Curie Institute. Between April 2017 and August 2019, 30 women with metastatic BC received locoregional and/or symptomatic irradiation at a metastatic site concurrently with palbociclib. The most common acute toxicities were radiodermatitis and neutropenia. Palbociclib had to be discontinued during RT in three locally treated patients who developed grade 3 radiodermatitis and febrile neutropenia, grade 2 dysphagia and metastatic disease progression, respectively. After a follow-up of at least 6 months, none of the patients had late toxicity. Concomitant administration of palbociclib with RT was reasonably well tolerated in our series of 30 patients. More prospective data with longer follow-up are needed to confirm these results.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Chemoradiotherapy* / adverse effects
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neutropenia / etiology
  • Piperazines / adverse effects
  • Piperazines / therapeutic use*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Pyridines / adverse effects
  • Pyridines / therapeutic use*
  • Radiodermatitis / etiology
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Piperazines
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyridines
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6
  • palbociclib