Tempus Presents New Breast Cancer Research at SABCS 2024, Highlighting AI-Driven Precision Medicine
Key Insights
Tempus (search) presented research at SABCS 2024, showcasing the use of real-world data and AI to improve outcomes for breast cancer (search) patients.
AURKA (search) amplification was identified as a potential marker of resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors (search) in HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (search), impacting progression-free survival.
Metaplastic breast cancer (search) exhibits a distinct molecular phenotype with higher PD-L1 (search) expression, offering insights for new biomarker-selected treatment strategies.
Tempus (search) presented four abstracts at the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer (search) Symposium (SABCS), highlighting advancements in precision medicine for breast cancer through the application of artificial intelligence and real-world data analysis.
AURKA Amplification as a Resistance Marker in HR+/HER2- Metastatic Breast Cancer
One study focused on patients with HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (search) (HR+ MBC) and found that low-level AURKA (search) copy number gains are common and associated with resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors (search) (CDK4/6i). Analyzing genomic records from tumors sequenced with the Tempus (search) xT DNA seq and xR RNA seq assays, researchers found that 15% of patients had AURKA amplifications. Patients with AURKA amplifications had a significantly shorter progression-free survival (9.9 months) on CDK4/6i compared to those without (17 months), suggesting that AURKA amplification is a potential marker of CDK4/6i resistance. This finding underscores the importance of identifying low-level AURKA gains to inform personalized use of emerging AURKA-targeted therapies like alisertib.
Distinct Molecular Phenotype of Metaplastic Breast Cancer
A retrospective analysis of the Tempus (search) database revealed that patients with Metaplastic breast cancer (search) (MpBC), a rare and aggressive subtype, had a distinct molecular phenotype compared to non-MpBC. The study found a higher prevalence of triple-negative breast cancer (search) (TNBC) in MpBC patients, along with a distinct somatic alteration profile. Somatic alterations in TERT, CDKN2A/B, MTAP, and genes involved in the PI3k pathway were more common in MpBC compared to non-MpBC patients, providing insights into potential therapeutic targets. The study also identified a unique tumor immune microenvironment in MpBC, characterized by higher PD-L1 (search) expression. These analyses provide a rationale for developing new biomarker-selected treatment strategies in this challenging-to-treat subtype.
Concurrent Tissue and ctDNA Testing for Enhanced Variant Detection
Research also demonstrated that concurrent solid tissue and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing identified an additional 20% of patients with actionable findings compared to tissue testing alone. This approach reduces the need for repeat biopsies and associated adverse events. In a simulated cohort, concurrent testing detected 92 more patients with actionable variants compared to tissue testing alone and prevented 24 additional biopsies at an incremental cost of $2,715 per patient—less than the cost of an extra liquid biopsy. This approach enhances patient care by improving diagnostic yield and decreasing the number of unnecessary procedures.
Ezra Cohen, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Oncology at Tempus (search), stated, "Presenting our latest research at the San Antonio Breast Cancer (search) Symposium underscores Tempus’ commitment to advancing precision medicine for breast cancer patients. By leveraging the power of real-world data and AI-driven insights, Tempus is dedicated to empowering clinicians with tools that can improve patient outcomes and accelerate the pace of research in breast cancer."