Vol 13, No 6 (2017)
Review paper
Published online: 2018-01-04
Clinical use of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitors in patients with breast cancer — literature review
DOI: 10.5603/OCP.2017.0034
Oncol Clin Pract 2017;13(6):281-294.
Abstract
Luminal subtype predominates in patients diagnosed with breast cancer — the incidence in developed countries is up to 80% of all cases. Hormonal therapy is an important part of the treatment; this is used as adjuvant treatment after radical surgery, and is also the preferred option of palliative systemic treatment. Unfortunately, during adjuvant hormonal treatment as well as palliative therapy, primary or secondary resistance may appear. To prevent and overcome these phenomena a strategy of combined pharmacological treatment was developed. In many clinical trials the effectiveness of doublets composed of hormonal and molecularly targeted drugs was assessed. So far, combination of hormonal therapy with cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors appears to be the most successful. Such a combination used in the first or further lines of palliative treatment prolongs progression-free survival. Moreover, its toxicity is relatively low and manageable. Until now, three drugs have been approved for treatment of breast cancer: palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib. This review describes the mechanism of action of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors and summarises the most relevant trials, which have become the basis of these drugs’ approval.
Keywords: CDK 4 and 6 inhibitorspalbociclibribociclibabemaciclibhormone therapybreast cancercyclin-dependent kinase
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