1.Precision diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in the post-CDK4/6 inhibitor era
Bin LI ; Zhonghua TAO ; Xichun HU
China Oncology 2025;35(3):273-282
Cyclin-dependent kinase(CDK)4/6 inhibitors plus endocrine therapy represents the standard first-line treatment for patients with hormone receptor-positive,human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer.The introduction of CDK4/6 inhibitors has significantly improved the prognosis of breast cancer patients.However,it has also brought new clinical challenges,such as disease progression and treatment resistance in many patients.Currently,there is a lack of standardized subsequent treatment options for patients whose disease progresses after CDK4/6 inhibitor combined with endocrine therapy.Endocrine therapy resistance can lead to tumor progression through estrogen receptor(ESR)-dependent or ESR-independent pathways.Novel endocrine agents have the potential to benefit breast cancer patients harboring ESR1 mutations.Patients with alterations in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)pathway may be particularly sensitive to targeted inhibitors of this pathway.Furthermore,newly approved or investigational antibody-drug conjugate(ADC),immunotherapy-based combinations,and novel cell cycle inhibitors have demonstrated promising anti-tumor activities.Precision medicine-based combination strategies not only expand clinical treatment options but also enable physicians to make personalized treatment decisions for patients.Biomarker-driven precision therapeutic strategies have emerged as a critical area of treatment development in the post-CDK4/6 inhibitor era.
2.Expert consensus on BRCA1/2 gene testing and clinical application in Chinese breast cancer patients(2025 edition)
Hongxia WANG ; Yongmei YIN ; Xichun HU
China Oncology 2025;35(7):710-734
Breast cancer remains one of the frequently diagnosed malignant tumors among Chinese women,with hereditary cases accounting for 5%-10%of all diagnoses,where BRCA1/2 gene mutations serve as the primary genetic predisposition factors.Although targeted therapies like poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase(PARP)inhibitors have significantly improved prognoses for patients with BRCA-mutated breast cancer in recent years,critical clinical challenges persist,including the standardization of genetic testing protocols,optimization of precision treatment approaches,and refinement of long-term management strategies.In response to these challenges,our expert panel has conducted a comprehensive update to the 2018 Edition of this consensus by integrating the latest global evidence-based medical research with China's unique clinical practice characteristics.This 2025 Edition provides systematic evaluations and recommendations on five key aspects:indications for BRCA1/2 gene testing,testing methodologies,result interpretation,treatment strategies,and risk management.The main updates include:① Increasing the relationship between BRCA1/2 gene mutations and programmed death ligand-1(PD-L1)expression,as well as related content on BRCAness types;② Standardizing the application of genetic testing,such as increasing the significance,timing,and sample selection of clinical testing,and optimizing the BRCA testing population;③ Updating treatment strategies,such as non-drug treatment of BRCA1/2 gene mutation,treatment of triple negative breast cancer(TNBC)patients with BRCA1/2 gene mutation,treatment decisions of hormone receptor(HR)+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)-breast cancer patients with BRCA1/2 gene mutation,clinical use of PARP inhibitors and adverse reaction management;④ Addion of relevant content on long-term risk management,such as covering follow-up management,indications for preventive surgery,quality control and requirements for new genetic testing,updating genetic testing processes,report content and interpretation.This consensus aimed to establish standardized diagnostic and therapeutic frameworks for clinicians,advance precision medicine in BRCA-mutated breast cancer,and ultimately improve patient survival outcomes.As new evidence emerges,continuous updates will be implemented to incorporate the latest research findings.This consensus has been registered on the Practice guideline REgistration for transPAREncy(PREPARE)platform(registration number:PREPARE-2025CN1085).
3.Development of a Homecare Atherosclerosis Monitoring System Integrated with Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index.
Xichun XU ; Kexin CHEN ; Jinqi LIN ; Guo DAN ; Xu ZHANG ; Jilun YE ; Xin HU
Chinese Journal of Medical Instrumentation 2025;49(5):545-552
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. As the key pathological basis of CVD, arteriosclerosis holds great significance for early screening. However, existing clinical and homecare detection devices have many shortcomings; for instance, the commonly used non-invasive indicator PWV (pulse wave velocity) is easily interfered by blood pressure.This study developed a homecare arteriosclerosis monitoring system, which integrates the measurement functions of cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and ankle-brachial index (ABI). The hardware design of the system includes an integrated structure of flexible silver ion electrodes and clip-type cuffs, a contact heart sound sensor, and a stepped deflation blood pressure measurement module. Meanwhile, a high-precision analog-to-digital conversion module and the STM32F405 main control chip are used to realize the synchronous acquisition of multiple signals.In terms of software, the underlying driver program was designed through MDK (Keil5), and a user interface was built on the Visual Studio platform to achieve functions such as data acquisition, display, and storage. At the algorithm level, the system adopted algorithms like the Pan-Tompkins algorithm to identify key feature points of physiological signals, and then calculate CAVI and ABI.System test results show that the ECG input noise of the system is less than 20 μV, the common-mode rejection ratio is 95 dB, and the blood pressure measurement error does not exceed 2 mmHg, which meets the design goals. Clinical data analysis indicates that CAVI is highly positively correlated with pulse wave velocity (PWV) ( r=0.85, P<0.001), but CAVI is less affected by blood pressure fluctuations. In addition, with the increase of risk factors (such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, etc.) and age, arteriosclerosis indicators (CAVI, PWV, ABI) all show an upward trend.In conclusion, the homecare arteriosclerosis monitoring system proposed in this study not only overcomes the problems of traditional devices that rely on professional operation and are susceptible to blood pressure interference, but also provides a reliable tool for arteriosclerosis screening in home scenarios, and has important reference value for clinical diagnosis.
Humans
;
Cardio Ankle Vascular Index
;
Home Care Services
;
Atherosclerosis/diagnosis*
;
Ankle Brachial Index
;
Algorithms
;
Pulse Wave Analysis
;
Arteriosclerosis/diagnosis*
;
Monitoring, Physiologic/instrumentation*
4.Abemaciclib plus non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor or fulvestrant in women with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer: Final results of the randomized phase III MONARCH plus trial.
Xichun HU ; Qingyuan ZHANG ; Tao SUN ; Yongmei YIN ; Huiping LI ; Min YAN ; Zhongsheng TONG ; Man LI ; Yue'e TENG ; Christina Pimentel OPPERMANN ; Govind Babu KANAKASETTY ; Ma Coccia PORTUGAL ; Liu YANG ; Wanli ZHANG ; Zefei JIANG
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(12):1477-1486
BACKGROUND:
In the interim analysis of MONARCH plus, adding abemaciclib to endocrine therapy (ET) improved progression-free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR) in predominantly Chinese postmenopausal women with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer (ABC). This study presents the final pre-planned PFS analysis.
METHODS:
In the phase III MONARCH plus study, postmenopausal women in China, India, Brazil, and South Africa with HR+/HER2- ABC without prior systemic therapy in an advanced setting (cohort A) or progression on prior ET (cohort B) were randomized (2:1) to abemaciclib (150 mg twice daily [BID]) or placebo plus: anastrozole (1.0 mg/day) or letrozole (2.5 mg/day) (cohort A) or fulvestrant (500 mg on days 1 and 15 of cycle 1 and then on day 1 of each subsequent cycle) (cohort B). The primary endpoint was PFS of cohort A. Secondary endpoints included cohort B PFS (key secondary endpoint), ORR, overall survival (OS), safety, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).
RESULTS:
In cohort A (abemaciclib: n = 207; placebo: n = 99), abemaciclib plus a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor improved median PFS vs . placebo (28.27 months vs . 14.73 months, hazard ratio [HR]: 0.476; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.348-0.649). In cohort B (abemaciclib: n = 104; placebo: n = 53), abemaciclib plus fulvestrant improved median PFS vs . placebo (11.41 months vs . 5.59 months, HR: 0.480; 95% CI: 0.322-0.715). Abemaciclib numerically improved ORR. Although immature, a trend toward OS benefit with abemaciclib was observed (cohort A: HR: 0.893, 95% CI: 0.553-1.443; cohort B: HR: 0.512, 95% CI: 0.281-0.931). The most frequent grade ≥3 adverse events in the abemaciclib arms were neutropenia, leukopenia, anemia (both cohorts), and lymphocytopenia (cohort B). Abemaciclib did not cause clinically meaningful changes in patient-reported global health, functioning, or most symptoms vs . placebo.
CONCLUSIONS:
Abemaciclib plus ET led to improvements in PFS and ORR, a manageable safety profile, and sustained HRQoL, providing clinical benefit without a high toxicity burden or reduced quality of life.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02763566).
Humans
;
Female
;
Fulvestrant/therapeutic use*
;
Breast Neoplasms/metabolism*
;
Aminopyridines/therapeutic use*
;
Benzimidazoles/therapeutic use*
;
Middle Aged
;
Aromatase Inhibitors/therapeutic use*
;
Aged
;
Receptor, ErbB-2/metabolism*
;
Adult
;
Letrozole/therapeutic use*
;
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use*
;
Anastrozole/therapeutic use*
5.Expert consensus on BRCA1/2 gene testing and clinical application in Chinese breast cancer patients(2025 edition)
Hongxia WANG ; Yongmei YIN ; Xichun HU
China Oncology 2025;35(7):710-734
Breast cancer remains one of the frequently diagnosed malignant tumors among Chinese women,with hereditary cases accounting for 5%-10%of all diagnoses,where BRCA1/2 gene mutations serve as the primary genetic predisposition factors.Although targeted therapies like poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase(PARP)inhibitors have significantly improved prognoses for patients with BRCA-mutated breast cancer in recent years,critical clinical challenges persist,including the standardization of genetic testing protocols,optimization of precision treatment approaches,and refinement of long-term management strategies.In response to these challenges,our expert panel has conducted a comprehensive update to the 2018 Edition of this consensus by integrating the latest global evidence-based medical research with China's unique clinical practice characteristics.This 2025 Edition provides systematic evaluations and recommendations on five key aspects:indications for BRCA1/2 gene testing,testing methodologies,result interpretation,treatment strategies,and risk management.The main updates include:① Increasing the relationship between BRCA1/2 gene mutations and programmed death ligand-1(PD-L1)expression,as well as related content on BRCAness types;② Standardizing the application of genetic testing,such as increasing the significance,timing,and sample selection of clinical testing,and optimizing the BRCA testing population;③ Updating treatment strategies,such as non-drug treatment of BRCA1/2 gene mutation,treatment of triple negative breast cancer(TNBC)patients with BRCA1/2 gene mutation,treatment decisions of hormone receptor(HR)+/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)-breast cancer patients with BRCA1/2 gene mutation,clinical use of PARP inhibitors and adverse reaction management;④ Addion of relevant content on long-term risk management,such as covering follow-up management,indications for preventive surgery,quality control and requirements for new genetic testing,updating genetic testing processes,report content and interpretation.This consensus aimed to establish standardized diagnostic and therapeutic frameworks for clinicians,advance precision medicine in BRCA-mutated breast cancer,and ultimately improve patient survival outcomes.As new evidence emerges,continuous updates will be implemented to incorporate the latest research findings.This consensus has been registered on the Practice guideline REgistration for transPAREncy(PREPARE)platform(registration number:PREPARE-2025CN1085).
6.Precision diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in the post-CDK4/6 inhibitor era
Bin LI ; Zhonghua TAO ; Xichun HU
China Oncology 2025;35(3):273-282
Cyclin-dependent kinase(CDK)4/6 inhibitors plus endocrine therapy represents the standard first-line treatment for patients with hormone receptor-positive,human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer.The introduction of CDK4/6 inhibitors has significantly improved the prognosis of breast cancer patients.However,it has also brought new clinical challenges,such as disease progression and treatment resistance in many patients.Currently,there is a lack of standardized subsequent treatment options for patients whose disease progresses after CDK4/6 inhibitor combined with endocrine therapy.Endocrine therapy resistance can lead to tumor progression through estrogen receptor(ESR)-dependent or ESR-independent pathways.Novel endocrine agents have the potential to benefit breast cancer patients harboring ESR1 mutations.Patients with alterations in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/protein kinase B(AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)pathway may be particularly sensitive to targeted inhibitors of this pathway.Furthermore,newly approved or investigational antibody-drug conjugate(ADC),immunotherapy-based combinations,and novel cell cycle inhibitors have demonstrated promising anti-tumor activities.Precision medicine-based combination strategies not only expand clinical treatment options but also enable physicians to make personalized treatment decisions for patients.Biomarker-driven precision therapeutic strategies have emerged as a critical area of treatment development in the post-CDK4/6 inhibitor era.
7.Advances in systemic treatment options for brain metastases in HER2-positive breast cancer
Tumor 2024;44(1):1-12
Patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)-positive breast cancer are prone to develop brain metastases.Inefficient drug delivery due to the blood-brain barrier/blood-tumor barrier is a major dilemma in the systemic treatment of brain metastases.Therefore,patients with HER2-positive breast cancer brain metastasis usually have few treatment options and poor prognosis.In traditional opinions,it is difficult for macromolecule drugs to cross the blood-brain barrier,but with the in-depth understanding of the properties of the blood-brain barrier/blood-tumor barrier,this view has gradually changed,especially when several clinical studies have validated the efficacy of new antibody-drug conjugates(ADC)in patients with brain metastasis in the recent years.These findings have provided more treatment options for HER2-positive breast cancer patients with brain metastasis.This review introduces the mechanism of systemic treatment drugs and sorts out the current important advances in systemic treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer patients with brain metastases,hoping to provide some reference for the clinical practice of treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer brain metastases in China.
8.Cancer of unknown primary:recent advancements in the diagnosis and treatment
Ting ZHAO ; Xiaowei ZHANG ; Xin LIU ; Qifeng WANG ; Xichun HU ; Zhiguo LUO
China Oncology 2024;34(12):1134-1143
Cancer of unknown primary(CUP)refers to a group of histopathologically confirmed malignancies that cannot be identified in terms of their primary origin despite thorough investigations.CUP accounts for approximately 3%-5%of all newly diagnosed cancers worldwide,with an overall survival(OS)ranging from 2.7 to 16.0 months.CUP has long been a significant scientific challenge due to the elusive nature and heterogeneity of the primary sites.In the era of immunohistochemistry(IHC),IHC has been applied to identify the primary site in approximately 70%of CUP cases.However,IHC also has limitations for undifferentiated cancers of unknown primary,and results can be influenced by experimental and human factors.In recent years,with the development of molecular tumor profiling(MTP),techniques such as cytology,histology,gene expression profiling(GEP),genomics and epigenomics have been able to accurately detect the primary site in 90%of cases.Currently,the 90-gene tumor tissue origin test has been proven to have an accuracy rate of 94.4%in diagnosing the primary site of CUP,laying the foundation for precision treatment.In the past,platinum and taxane-based empirical chemotherapy was commonly used for treating CUP.However,these treatments did not yield significant improvements in patient survival and prognosis.Since 2008,there has been a global emergence of clinical studies on MTP-guided first-line therapy for CUP.However,due to study design flaws and result controversies,there is no international consensus on the superiority of organ-specific treatment over empirical chemotherapy in terms of improving progression-free survival(PFS)and OS for CUP.Based on this,our center conducted the world's first phase Ⅲ clinical trial in 2017,and demonstrated improved PFS and favorable OS by GEP-guided site-specific therapy of CUP,which established the primacy of site-specific first-line therapy for CUP.In this review,we detailed the epidemiology,pathogenesis,clinical characteristics and the progression of CUP diagnosis from the era of IHC to MTP.Furthermore,we reviewed the advancements in CUP treatment from empirical chemotherapy to MTP-guided organ-specific treatment.Additionally,this review delved into the exploration of second-line treatment options and the establishment of a clinical stratified management model,which are two topics in future research of CUP.This review aimed to summarize the progress in the diagnosis and treatment of CUP,further explore future research directions for CUP,and improve the survival and prognosis of patients with CUP.
9.Comprehensive management strategy of interstitial lung disease induced by trastuzumab deruxtecan
Jian ZHANG ; Qian HAN ; Fei XU ; Lu GAN ; Zhanhong CHEN ; Li MA ; Hao WANG ; Jieqiong LIU ; Xiaohong WU ; Li CAI ; Bing ZHAO ; Zheng LÜ ; Li LI ; Sujie NI ; Xichun HU
China Oncology 2024;34(12):1067-1079
Trastuzumab deruxtecan(T-DXd)has demonstrated significant efficacy in clinical trials for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)-expressing breast cancer,gastric cancer,lung cancer and other solid tumors.Its overall safety profile is manageable and tolerable,including the clinically concerning interstitial lung disease(ILD).The etiology of ILD is varied,among which drug-induced ILD is an exclusionary diagnosis.The incidence of ILD caused by different antitumor drugs varies with different symptoms,and the pathogenesis remains unclear.T-DXd-induced ILD is mostly Grades 1-2,and implementing a standardized clinical management protocol can reduce the incidence of severe ILD events,improve patient prognosis,and help maximize the clinical benefits of T-DXd.This article summarized the epidemiology,etiology,risk factors,and potential mechanisms of drug-induced ILD,with a focus on the incidence,time to onset,and outcomes of T-DXd-induced ILD after standardized clinical management.It aimed to help readers understand the importance of standardized clinical management before and during T-DXd treatment.Regarding specific clinical management strategies,the article reviewed comprehensive management approaches for T-DXd-induced ILD based on clinical trial protocols and real-world experiences from both domestic and international perspectives,covering patient screening,patient education,ILD monitoring,diagnosis,and treatment.Before initiating T-DXd treatment,patient screening helps identify those at high risk for ILD,and T-DXd should be used cautiously in these high-risk patients.Effective patient education can enhance patient initiative,encouraging them to promptly report suspected symptoms,which contributes to early identification of ILD.During T-DXd treatment,it is important to regularly monitor symptoms and signs related to ILD,implement regular imaging monitoring and leverage multidisciplinary team collaboration to diagnose ILD as early as possible,thereby minimizing the risk of severe ILD.If symptoms or imaging suggest ILD,T-DXd treatment must be immediately interrupted,and relevant examinations should be completed to rule out other possible causes while considering corticosteroid treatment.Upon ILD diagnosis,subsequent T-DXd dose adjustments,corticosteroid therapy,and supportive treatments should be guided by severity.The article also explored whether patients with T-DXd-induced ILD can be re-treated,concluding that Grade 1 ILD patients might be eligible for re-treatment under specific conditions.In conclusion,the article reviewed the epidemiology,characteristics,clinical trial-recommended management strategies,and real-world management measures of T-DXd-induced ILD,integrating clinical expert experiences to summarize and discuss comprehensive management strategies for it.This aimed to enhance clinicians'understanding of T-DXd-induced ILD and provide valuable insights for early identification,timely diagnosis,and proper management of it.
10.Cancer of unknown primary:recent advancements in the diagnosis and treatment
Ting ZHAO ; Xiaowei ZHANG ; Xin LIU ; Qifeng WANG ; Xichun HU ; Zhiguo LUO
China Oncology 2024;34(12):1134-1143
Cancer of unknown primary(CUP)refers to a group of histopathologically confirmed malignancies that cannot be identified in terms of their primary origin despite thorough investigations.CUP accounts for approximately 3%-5%of all newly diagnosed cancers worldwide,with an overall survival(OS)ranging from 2.7 to 16.0 months.CUP has long been a significant scientific challenge due to the elusive nature and heterogeneity of the primary sites.In the era of immunohistochemistry(IHC),IHC has been applied to identify the primary site in approximately 70%of CUP cases.However,IHC also has limitations for undifferentiated cancers of unknown primary,and results can be influenced by experimental and human factors.In recent years,with the development of molecular tumor profiling(MTP),techniques such as cytology,histology,gene expression profiling(GEP),genomics and epigenomics have been able to accurately detect the primary site in 90%of cases.Currently,the 90-gene tumor tissue origin test has been proven to have an accuracy rate of 94.4%in diagnosing the primary site of CUP,laying the foundation for precision treatment.In the past,platinum and taxane-based empirical chemotherapy was commonly used for treating CUP.However,these treatments did not yield significant improvements in patient survival and prognosis.Since 2008,there has been a global emergence of clinical studies on MTP-guided first-line therapy for CUP.However,due to study design flaws and result controversies,there is no international consensus on the superiority of organ-specific treatment over empirical chemotherapy in terms of improving progression-free survival(PFS)and OS for CUP.Based on this,our center conducted the world's first phase Ⅲ clinical trial in 2017,and demonstrated improved PFS and favorable OS by GEP-guided site-specific therapy of CUP,which established the primacy of site-specific first-line therapy for CUP.In this review,we detailed the epidemiology,pathogenesis,clinical characteristics and the progression of CUP diagnosis from the era of IHC to MTP.Furthermore,we reviewed the advancements in CUP treatment from empirical chemotherapy to MTP-guided organ-specific treatment.Additionally,this review delved into the exploration of second-line treatment options and the establishment of a clinical stratified management model,which are two topics in future research of CUP.This review aimed to summarize the progress in the diagnosis and treatment of CUP,further explore future research directions for CUP,and improve the survival and prognosis of patients with CUP.

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