Precision Medicine in Focus: Optimizing Biomarker-Driven Treatment Strategies in HR+/HER2– PIK3CA-mutant Metastatic Breast Cancer

Panelists discuss how the INAVO120 trial's final overall survival analysis showing a 7-month median survival benefit (34 vs 27 months) with inavolisib plus palbociclib plus fulvestrant in PIK3CA-mutated endocrine resistant breast cancer represents promising but complex data, given the low crossover rates and potential need for first-line PIK3CA inhibitor use before patients progress to chemotherapy.

Panelists discuss how the INAVO120 trial’s secondary end point showing delayed time to chemotherapy from 12 to 36 months with the triplet combination provides compelling quality-of-life benefits for patients while acknowledging the challenges of determining optimal treatment sequencing after progression on this regimen.

Panelists discuss how to contextualize inavolisib within the broader landscape of PIK3CA inhibitors, noting its improved tolerability compared with alpelisib while emphasizing the need for individualized treatment selection based on disease burden and the emerging challenge of managing comutations like ESR1.

Panelists discuss how to identify ideal candidates for triplet therapy using a case example, emphasizing the importance of endocrine resistance, disease burden, performance status, and careful management of hyperglycemia risk through baseline hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) assessment and proactive glucose monitoring strategies.

Panelists discuss how nonclinical factors including drug costs, insurance coverage, work situations, patient intelligence for complex dosing schedules, and comprehensive pretreatment education about toxicities like hyperglycemia, rash, and diarrhea are crucial for successful implementation of the triplet regimen.

Panelists discuss how biomarker testing strategies have evolved from second-line to first-line metastatic disease, driven by the availability of targeted agents for PIK3CA and ESR1 mutations, with both tissue and liquid biopsy approaches being used to ensure timely results for treatment decision-making.

Panelists discuss how the SERENA-6 trial’s approach of serial liquid biopsy monitoring for ESR1 mutations raises important questions about the optimal timing and clinical benefit of molecularly guided therapy switches, with both experts preferring to see overall survival data before changing practice patterns.

Panelists discuss how to manage PIK3CA inhibitor toxicities through frequent early monitoring, patient education about warning signs, use of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) when needed, and willingness to interrupt treatment and reduce doses while maintaining patients on therapy long term.

Panelists discuss how treatment algorithms should differentiate between primary and secondary endocrine resistance, disease burden, and mutation status while looking forward to future combinations with oral selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs) and next-generation PIK3CA inhibitors with improved toxicity profiles to enable more effective precision medicine approaches.