MicroRNA Profiles in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Triple negative subtype of breast cancer (TNBC), accounts for about 55% of all breast cancer among indigenous blacks, such as Nigerians, and younger women are more susceptible Patients with TNBC generally experience a more aggressive clinical course with faster disease progression and poorer overall survival. There is no targeted treatment available beyond conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy . Unfortunately, standard chemotherapy is only effective in about 40% of patients with pathological complete response (pCR) achieved only in 20%-30% . Local relapse occurs early. Therefore, chemo-resistance is the main cause of chemotherapeutic failure and leads to suboptimal response rates . There are no biomarkers of response for close monitoring of TNBC patients to identify chemotherapy failure early. This one-stage phase II study with a single arm is designed to assess the response rate and toxicity of Epirubicin-Cyclophosphamide with Paclitaxel-Carboplatin (ECPC) and examine the potential of using circulating microRNa and circulating tumor cells as a surrogate marker of chemotherapy resistance in Nigerian women with triple negative breast cancer. A total of 42 patients will be enrolled into the trial. Each participant will receive Epirubicin (60mg/m2), Cyclophosphamide (600mg/m2) , Paclitaxel (120mg/m2) and Carboplatin (6AUC) . Blood microRNA and circulating tumor DNA will be determined before and after therapy. Tumor response will be measured by breast ultrasound and described using RECIST criteria while toxicity will be graded using CTCAE criteria. Quality of life (QoL) of participants while on chemotherapy will also be assessed using EORTC quality of life questionnaire - (General and Breast cancer specific).

Inclusion criteria

• Women ages of 18 to 70 years old
• Women who give informed consent for the study
• Biopsy-accessible breast tumor of significant size for core needle biopsy/ultrasound measurable (≥ 2cm)
• Patients with histologically confirmed carcinoma of the female breast with triple negative status by immuno-histochemistry (IHC)
• Clinical stages IIA -IIIC (AJCC 2009)
• Chemotherapy-naïve patients (for this malignancy)
• Performance status: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-1
• Non-pregnant and not nursing. Women of childbearing potential must take the pregnancy test and must commit to receive Leuteinizing Hormone Realising Hormone (LHRH) agonist Zoladex (goserelin) for two years starting from the commencement of the study medications
• Required Initial Laboratory Data. Adequate hematologic, renal and hepatic function, as defined by each of the following:

• Granulocyte ≥ 1,500/μL 2. Platelet count ≥ 100,000/μL 3. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ l500/μL 4. Hemoglobin ≥ 10g/dL 5. Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x upper limit of normal 6. SGOT and SGPT < 2.5 x upper limit of normal 7. Creatinine within institutional normal limits or glomerular filtration rate ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 by Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) (CKD EPI) equation (see http://mdrd.com/ for calculator) 10. Echocardiogram (ECHO): Baseline left ventricular ejection fraction of ≥ 55%

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnant or lactating women. Women of childbearing potential not using a reliable and appropriate contraceptive method. Postmenopausal women must have been amenorrheic for at least 12 months to be considered of non-childbearing potential.
• Patients with distant metastasis (brain and/or visceral metastasis)
• Serious, uncontrolled, concurrent infection(s).
• Treatment for other carcinomas within the last 5 years, except non-melanoma skin cancer and treated cervical carcinoma in-situ (CCIS)
• Participation in any investigational drug study within 4 weeks preceding the start of study treatment
• Other serious uncontrolled medical conditions that the investigator feels might compromise study participation including but not limited to chronic or active infection, HIV-positive patient, uncontrolled hypertension, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, uncontrolled Diabetes mellitus, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements.