Patterns of resource utilization and cost for postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative advanced breast cancer in Europe.

Background: Healthcare resource utilization in breast cancer varies by disease characteristics and treatment choices. However, lack of clarity in guidelines can result in varied interpretation and heterogeneous treatment management and costs. In Europe, the extent of this variability is unclear.

A process for assessing the feasibility of a network meta-analysis: a case study of everolimus in combination with hormonal therapy versus chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer.

Background: The aim of this study is to outline a general process for assessing the feasibility of performing a valid network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to synthesize direct and indirect evidence for alternative treatments for a specific disease population.

Methods: Several steps to assess the feasibility of an NMA are proposed based on existing recommendations. Next, a case study is used to illustrate this NMA feasibility assessment process in order to compare everolimus in combination with hormonal therapy to alternative chemotherapies in terms of progression-free survival for women with advanced breast cancer.

Disease management patterns for postmenopausal women in Europe with hormone-receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 negative advanced breast cancer.

Background: International guidelines for hormone-receptor-positive (HR(+)), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 negative (HER2(-)) advanced breast cancer (BC) recommend sequential lines of hormonal therapy (HT), and only recommend chemotherapy for patients with extensive visceral involvement or rapidly progressive disease. This study evaluated actual physician-reported treatments for advanced BC in Europe.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 355 postmenopausal women with HR(+), HER2(-) advanced BC who progressed on ≥1 line of HT (adjuvant or advanced) and completed ≥1 line of chemotherapy (advanced).

Development of everolimus, a novel oral mTOR inhibitor, across a spectrum of diseases.

Everolimus is a potent, oral inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) that has been investigated in multiple clinical development programs since 1996. A unique collaboration between academic and pharmaceutical experts fostered research that progressed rapidly, with simultaneous indication findings across numerous tumor types. Initially developed for the prophylaxis of organ transplant rejection, everolimus has demonstrated efficacy and safety for the treatment of patients with various types of cancer (renal cell carcinoma, neuroendocrine tumors of pancreatic origin, and breast cancer) and for adult and pediatric patients with tuberous sclerosis complex.

Everolimus plus octreotide long-acting repeatable in patients with colorectal neuroendocrine tumors: a subgroup analysis of the phase III RADIANT-2 study.

Introduction: The incidence of colorectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) is increasing, and patients with this disease have particularly poor prognoses. Treatment options are limited, and survival times have not improved in the past decade.

Methods: A post hoc analysis of the efficacy and tolerability of everolimus plus octreotide long-acting repeatable (LAR) was conducted in patients with colorectal NETs enrolled in the phase III RAD001 in Advanced Neuroendocrine Tumors, Second Trial (RADIANT-2) study.