A retrospective study evaluating the effect of trastuzumab addition to carboplatin/paclitaxel on overall survival in patients with advanced-stage HER2/neu-overexpressing uterine serous carcinoma or carcinosarcoma

Abstract

Background

Uterine serous carcinoma and carcinosarcoma are aggressive forms of endometrial cancer with poor survival outcomes. Trastuzumab, a human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-directed monoclonal antibody, has demonstrated tumoricidal efficacy. However, clinical data regarding its efficacy in uterine serous carcinoma are limited, and there are no clinical data available for uterine carcinosarcoma. Therefore, this study aimed to ascertain the efficacy and safety of adding trastuzumab to carboplatin and paclitaxel as a frontline treatment for advanced-stage HER2-overexpressing uterine serous carcinoma and carcinosarcoma.

Methods

This retrospective study used deidentified data from electronic health records from the TriNetX Research Network. Participants were identified using International Classification of Diseases codes, and HER2 positivity was confirmed through immunohistochemistry or fluorescence in situ hybridisation. Propensity score matching was employed to reduce confounders, and survival outcomes and adverse events were assessed.

Results

Following propensity score matching, 280 patients with advanced HER2-positive uterine serous carcinoma or carcinosarcoma were analysed. The group of patients treated with carboplatin/paclitaxel + trastuzumab (CP + T) showed a significantly prolonged median overall survival compared to those treated exclusively with CP (41 months versus 25.2 months, hazard ratio [HR] = 0.51, p = 0.002) in both advanced-stage uterine carcinosarcoma and serous carcinoma. Specifically, patients with uterine carcinosarcoma experienced a prolonged survival benefit (HR = 0.39, p < 0.0001) when trastuzumab was added to their chemotherapy regimen, which surpassed the survival benefit observed in patients with uterine serous carcinoma (HR = 0.56,p = 0.04). However, patients who received trastuzumab experienced increased rates of hypertension, diarrhoea, and left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

Conclusions

The addition of trastuzumab to frontline chemotherapy is effective in treating HER2-overexpressing uterine serous carcinoma and carcinosarcoma, particularly uterine carcinosarcoma. However, careful monitoring of adverse cardiac events is needed.