Octreotide LAR and tamoxifen versus tamoxifen in phase III randomize early breast cancer trials: NCIC CTG MA.14 and NSABP B-29

NCIC CTG MA.14 and NSABP B-29 trials examined the addition of Octreotide LAR (OCT) to 5 years of tamoxifen (TAM). Gallbladder toxicity led to B-29 discontinuation of OCT, and MA.14 OCT administration shortened to 2 years. Median follow-up was 9.8 years for 667 MA.14 patients and 6.8 years for 893 B-29 patients. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS), defined as time from randomization to time of breast cancer recurrence; second primary cancer other than squamous or basal cell skin carcinoma, cervical carcinoma in situ, or lobular breast carcinoma in situ; or death. The primary statistical test was a univariable pooled stratified log-rank test; multivariable assessment was with Cox regression. For MA.14, 97 % of patients were a parts per thousand yen50 years; for B-29, 62 %. MA.14 patients were 53 % lymph node negative (LN-) while B-29 were 100 % LN-; 33 % of MA.14 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy, 2 % concurrently, while B-29 had 53 % concurrent chemotherapy. MA.14 patients were 90% hormone receptor positive; B-29, 100 %. MA.14 patients experienced 5-year DFS of 80 % with TAM, 76 % with TAM + OCT; B-29 patients had 5-year DFS of 88 % for both arms. Pooled univariable TAM + OCT to TAM hazard ratio (HR) was 0.99 (95% CI 0.81-1.20; p = 0.69): for MA.14, HR = 0.94 (0.73-1.20; p = 0.50); for B-29, HR = 1.09 (0.80-1.50; p = 0.59). Multivariable pooled HR = 0.98 (0.81-1.20; p = 0.84). Older patients (p < 0.001), with higher T stage (p < 0.001), and LN + (p < 0.001) had shorter DFS. Addition of OCT to TAM did not significantly improve DFS; gallbladder toxicity shortened the additional administration of OCT. This does not negate targeting the insulin-IGF-I receptor family with less toxic therapeutics.