Is Keytruda + Chemotherapy Effective for Breast Cancer?

Is Keytruda + Chemotherapy Effective for Breast Cancer?

Formerly certified by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Medical Visa Guarantee Agency B-66 Travel Services Arrangement Business License No. 35, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan Japanese Medical Equipment Sales and Rental Business Management

Formerly certified by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Medical Visa Guarantee Agency B-66 Travel Services Arrangement Business License No. 35, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan Japanese Medical Equipment Sales and Rental Business Management

On July 21, 2022, Javier Cortes and colleagues from the International Breast Cancer Center (IBCC) published the results of the MK-3475-355/KEYNOTE-355 Phase III clinical trial on the efficacy and safety of the anti-PD-1 antibody Keytruda + chemotherapy in previously untreated advanced triple-negative breast cancer patients in the medical journal The New England Journal of Medicine.

The MK-3475-355/KEYNOTE-355 Phase III clinical trial randomized previously untreated patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer (N = 847) in a 2:1 ratio into two groups: Keytruda (200mg) + chemotherapy group (21-day treatment cycles, N = 566) and placebo + chemotherapy group (N = 281). The primary efficacy endpoints were progression-free survival and overall survival in PD-L1-positive patients (CPS ≥10).

At the interim analysis with a median follow-up of 44.1 months, the results showed that in PD-L1-positive patients (CPS ≥10), the median overall survival was 23.0 months in the Keytruda + chemotherapy group versus 16.1 months in the placebo + chemotherapy group. In PD-L1-positive patients (CPS ≥1), the median overall survival was 17.6 months in the Keytruda + chemotherapy group versus 16.0 months in the placebo + chemotherapy group.

Additionally, regarding safety, the incidence of Grade 3-5 adverse events was 68.1% in the Keytruda + chemotherapy group versus 66.9% in the placebo + chemotherapy group.

Based on the results of the MK-3475-355/KEYNOTE-355 trial, Javier Cortes and colleagues concluded that previously untreated advanced triple-negative breast cancer patients (CPS ≥10) treated with the anti-PD-1 antibody Keytruda + chemotherapy showed improved overall survival compared to the placebo + chemotherapy group.

Source: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2202809?query=featured_home

Medical Supporter was formerly certified as a medical visa guarantor by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (B-066).

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4