Dr. Mahtani on the Use of CDK 4/6 Inhibitors in Metastatic ER+ Breast Cancer

Reshma L. Mahtani, DO, assistant professor of clinical medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, discusses the use of CDK 4/6 inhibitors in older patients with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

An FDA pooled analysis of the registration trials that led to the approval of CDK 4/6 inhibitors was presented at the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancers Symposium. In the analysis, investigators looked at the studies with respect to age and treatment effect. Although CDK 4/6 inhibitors are very efficacious and pretty well tolerated, physicians wondered whether older patients could tolerate the medication as well as younger patients.

The use of CDK 4/6 inhibitors is something that should be considered in older patients, says Mahtani. Age should not be used as a reason not to administer these agents. Although there was an increased incidence of treatment discontinuation and increased grade 3/4 toxicity, the differences in select adverse events that are associated with the use of these therapies were not that great.