Tolerability of Dalpiciclib vs. Abemaciclib/Ribociclib in Early HR+/HER2- Breast Cancer

In recent years, the successful application of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) has transformed the treatment landscape for HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer and driven research into their use in adjuvant settings. Large Phase III trials including MONARCH-E and NATALEE have demonstrated that combining CDK4/6i with standard endocrine therapy significantly reduces the risk of recurrence or death in high-risk patients with early breast cancer. This regimen has been recommended by leading domestic and international clinical guidelines. Nevertheless, patients' quality of life, symptom burden and treatment adherence are also critical in clinical practice. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs), especially electronic PROs (ePROs), can effectively complement conventional study endpoints and provide important evidence for the comprehensive evaluation of long-term treatment.

This is a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial. The primary objective is to compare the tolerability of dalpiciclib versus abemaciclib/ribociclib, each combined with standard endocrine therapy, in the adjuvant treatment of patients with high-risk HR+/HER2- early breast cancer. Eligible patients who have received curative local therapy will be randomized to either the experimental group (dalpiciclib plus endocrine therapy) or the control group (ribociclib/abemaciclib plus endocrine therapy). Stratified block randomization will be applied, with stratification factors including menopausal status and prior history of neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy.

The total duration of endocrine therapy is 5 years. The treatment duration of CDK4/6i is approximately 104 weeks for dalpiciclib, 156 weeks for ribociclib, and 104 weeks for abemaciclib. CDK4/6i will be discontinued in cases of disease recurrence, intolerable toxicity, patient withdrawal, or discontinuation as determined by the investigator. Patients will be regularly asked to complete ePRO questionnaires throughout the treatment period.