mTOR inhibitors in breast cancer: a systematic review

Abstract

PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is a crucial mediator of tumor progression. As the PI3K/Akt pathway is heavily deregulated in breast cancer, the application of mTOR inhibitors in breast cancer patients seems warranted. This is the first systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines to synthesize all available data of mTOR inhibitors in all subcategories of breast cancer. The search strategy retrieved 16 studies evaluating everolimus (1492 patients), seven studies examining temsirolimus (1245 patients), one study evaluating sirolimus (400 patients) and two studies evaluating MKC-1 (60 patients). The Breast Cancer Trials of Oral Everolimus-2 (BOLERO-2) study has marked a turning point in the evaluation of everolimus in the treatment of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. Given the positive results, everolimus has entered NCCN 2012 guidelines, and its approval of its combination with exemestane by FDA and EMA is imminent. In addition, the promising antitumor activity and long-term disease control further suggest that mTOR inhibition with everolimus may provide an avenue for achieving long-lasting benefit from trastuzumab-based therapy in HER2-positive patients. Regarding temsirolimus, it seems that the agent may play, in the future, a role in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer; importantly, however, there is an unmet need to find its optimal target subpopulation.