DR RUGO: We presented some data in ER-positive disease. And in 25% of patients who were PD-L1-positive, the response rate was between 12% to 14%, depending on how you evaluated it. The number of tumors that are positive for PD-L1 is much lower. So instead of being closer to 50%, it’s more like 19%. And it gives us the idea that you need this proliferation and relative hormone resistance in order to have a chance of responding to these immune checkpoint inhibitors.
So I don’t think they’re a cure-all right now, but I think they’re quite intriguing. And I think the question about whether or not one should try and get an agent that’s approved for a compassionate use is a really critical one, particularly in triple-negative disease where we run out of therapy very quickly and we’re facing a patient who’s young and really in a tragic situation. And we have nothing to offer them. And I have to say that I have 2 patients now on compassionate-use pembrolizumab for that reason.
And I think that we should support clinical trials and not put patients on these agents if they’re eligible for clinical trials. But in situations where they aren’t eligible, it’s a reasonable thing to look for the agent. They aren’t benign. And it’s important to keep that in mind.
T, AC