Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 24, 2025

A Data Integration Workflow to Identify Drug Combinations Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions
Published on: May 27, 2021
Ribociclib Plus Letrozole in Italian Male Patients with Hormone Receptor-Positive, Human Epidermal Growth Factor
Roberta Caputo1, Alessandra Fabi2,3, Emanuela Romagnoli4
1Dipartimento di Senologia, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione Pascale, IRCCS, Naples, Italy.
Abstract:
Male breast cancer (BC) is rare, globally constituting only 0.5-1% of all patients with BC. In Italy, more than 2000 new male BC cases were registered between 2000 and 2014. The survival rate was lower in males than in females. Delayed diagnosis may be the reason for poorer outcome observed in male BC patients compared with female patients. Due to lack of substantial evidence and low availability of published data on male BC, the current treatment recommendations are based on evidence derived from trials on female patients. In Italy, most of the male BC patients are estrogen and progesterone receptor-positive. Targeted therapy in combination with endocrine therapy provides a clinically meaningful outcome in patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR-positive), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-negative) advanced BC. CompLEEment-1 is a single-arm, open-label, multicenter, phase 3b trial investigating the safety and efficacy of a CDK4/6 inhibitor, ribociclib, in combination with letrozole in men and women. Herein, we report the results from a retrospective analysis of five Italian male patients who completed the core phase. In this case series, the combination of ribociclib and letrozole was well tolerated and appeared to be effective in the male cohort with HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced BC in Italy. CompLEEment-1 trial representative of a real-world setting would add value by supporting the existing efficacy and safety profile of ribociclib in combination with letrozole in male patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced BC.
Clinicaltrialsgov Registration Number:
NCT02941926.
Related Concept Videos
Treatment Resistant Cancers
Clinical Trials
There are four phases in a clinical trial. A phase one...
Clinical Trials: Overview
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
Hormonal Control of the Ovarian Cycle
Before puberty, the hypothalamus releases GnRH in a low frequency, low amplitude pulsatile manner. This along with the immature hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis activity, results in low estrogen levels and the absence of a fully functional ovarian cycle. At puberty, GnRH secretion increases in both frequency and...
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...

