Adjuvant Abemaciclib for Locoregional Recurrence of HR-positive, HER2-negative Breast Cancer (JCOG2313, AURA)

Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phasePhase 3
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorJapanese Foundation for Cancer Research

About this trial

The JCOG2313 trial is a multicenter, randomized, phase III study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adjuvant abemaciclib in combination with endocrine therapy versus endocrine therapy alone in patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer who have undergone curative treatment for their first locoregional recurrence (LRR).

Although HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer generally has a favorable prognosis, LRR-such as ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR), chest wall recurrence, or regional lymph node recurrence-remains a clinically significant event that increases the risk of distant metastasis. While endocrine therapy is standard in this setting, the benefit of adding chemotherapy or other agents remains unclear, and treatment strategies vary widely.

Abemaciclib, a CDK4/6 inhibitor, has shown survival benefit in the adjuvant setting for high-risk early breast cancer. However, its role in post-LRR adjuvant treatment has not been evaluated in a randomized setting. This study aims to determine whether the addition of abemaciclib to endocrine therapy can improve invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) in patients after LRR.

Eligible patients are randomized 1:1 to receive either endocrine therapy alone or endocrine therapy plus abemaciclib (150 mg twice daily for 2 years). The primary endpoint is IDFS. Secondary endpoints include distant recurrence-free survival, breast cancer-specific survival, overall survival, and safety. A total of 290 patients will be enrolled. Randomization is stratified by site of recurrence, endocrine resistance, perioperative chemotherapy, and institution.

Additionally, a prospective ancillary study will assess circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a biomarker for molecular residual disease (MRD). Plasma samples will be collected at predefined time points to evaluate the prognostic and predictive value of ctDNA for relapse and treatment response.

The JCOG2313 trial addresses an unmet need in the management of HR-positive, HER2-negative LRR and may contribute to the establishment of a new standard systemic therapy and personalized monitoring strategies.

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

No prior diagnosis of distant metastasis of breast cancer.

Age ≥18 years at the time of registration.

ECOG Performance Status of 0 or 1.

Chemotherapy for LRR is allowed prior to enrollment.

Disqualifiers

Presence of active double cancer (synchronous malignancy requiring treatment).

Ongoing infectious disease requiring systemic therapy.

Fever ≥38.0°C at the time of registration.

Women who are pregnant, possibly pregnant, within 28 days postpartum, or breastfeeding; men whose partners intend to become pregnant.

Trial design

Design model

Parallel

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Endocrine therapy + Abemaciclib

    Drug

    This intervention consists of adjuvant endocrine therapy in combination with abemaciclib, a CDK4/6 inhibitor, administered to patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer who have undergone curative-intent local treatment for their first LRR, including ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence, chest wall recurrence, or regional lymph node recurrence. Abemaciclib is given orally at a dose of 150 mg twice daily for a maximum of 2 years, in accordance with the approved dosing regimen in the adjuvant setting. The choice of endocrine therapy-aromatase inhibitor, tamoxifen, or tamoxifen plus ovarian function suppression-is determined based on menopausal status and prior treatment history.

  • Endocrine Therapy (ET): letrozole, anastrozole, exemestane, tamoxifen

    Drug

    This intervention consists of adjuvant endocrine therapy alone in patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer who have undergone curative treatment for their first LRR, including ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence, chest wall recurrence, or regional lymph node recurrence. The choice of endocrine therapy (aromatase inhibitor, tamoxifen, or tamoxifen plus ovarian function suppression) is determined based on the patient's menopausal status and prior treatment history, as specified in the protocol. Treatment is continued for five years or until disease recurrence, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal of consent. This intervention does not include CDK4/6 inhibitors.

Treatment groups

290 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups
Group A: Standard endocrine therapy (Arm A)Active comparator 1 intervention
Group B: Endocrine therapy in combination with abemaciclib (Arm B)Experimental treatment 1 intervention

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Invasive disease-free survival

Defined as the time from randomization to the first occurrence of one of the following events: * Recurrence of invasive breast cancer in the ipsilateral breast, chest wall, or regional lymph nodes (locoregional recurrence); * Distant recurrence of breast cancer (metastatic disease); * Invasive contralateral breast cancer; * Second primary invasive non-breast cancer (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer and in situ cervical cancer); * Death from any cause. Patients who have not experienced any of the above events will be censored at the date of last disease assessment.

Time frame
Up to 9 years (4 years of accrual and 5 years of follow-up)

Secondary outcomes

1

Distant recurrence-free survival

Distant Recurrence-Free Survival (DRFS) is defined as the time from randomization to the first occurrence of distant recurrence of breast cancer or death from any cause, whichever occurs first. Distant recurrence is defined as radiographically or pathologically confirmed metastatic disease outside of the locoregional area. Patients without events will be censored at the date of last disease assessment. DRFS is evaluated as a secondary endpoint to assess the effectiveness of treatment in preventing distant metastatic progression.

Time frame
Up to 9 years (4 years of accrual and 5 years of follow-up)
2

Breast cancer-specific survival

Breast Cancer-Specific Survival (BCSS) is defined as the time from randomization to death due to breast cancer. Deaths from other causes (non-breast cancer-related) will be considered competing events and will be censored at the time of death. Patients who are alive at the time of analysis or lost to follow-up will be censored at the date of last known contact. BCSS is included as a secondary endpoint to evaluate the disease-specific mortality benefit of the intervention.

Time frame
Up to 9 years (4 years of accrual and 5 years of follow-up)
3

Overall survival

Overall Survival (OS) is defined as the time from randomization to death from any cause. Patients who are alive at the time of analysis or lost to follow-up will be censored at the date of last known contact. OS will be assessed as a secondary endpoint to evaluate the overall survival benefit of adjuvant abemaciclib in combination with endocrine therapy in the post-recurrence setting.

Time frame
Up to 9 years (4 years of accrual and 5 years of follow-up)

Other outcomes

Locations

1

Map coordinates are unavailable for these locations. Locations are shown below instead.

Cancer Institute Hospital of JFCRRecruiting135-8550, Koto-ku, TokyoJapanJapan

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research

Lead sponsor

Japan Clinical Oncology Group

Collaborator