Unraveling the clinicopathological features driving the emergence of ESR1 mutations in metastatic breast cancer

ESR1 mutations were recently found to be an important mechanism of endocrine resistance in ER-positive (ER +) metastatic breast cancer. To determine the clinicopathological features driving the emergence of the ESR1 mutations we studied plasma cfDNA and detailed clinical data collected from patients with metastatic breast cancer. Droplet Digital PCR was performed for the detection of the most common ESR1 mutations and PIK3CA mutations. Among the patients with ER + /HER2- disease, ESR1 mutations were detected in 30% of the patients. There were no associations between the pathological features of the primary disease or time to distant recurrence and the emergence of ESR1 mutations in metastatic disease. The prevalence of the ESR1 mutations was significantly associated with prior treatment with an aromatase inhibitor in the adjuvant or metastatic setting. The prevalence of the ESR1 mutations was also positively associated with prior fulvestrant treatment. Conversely, the prevalence of ESR1 mutations was lower after treatment with a CDK4/6 inhibitor. There were no significant associations between specific systemic treatments and the prevalence of PIK3CA mutations. These results support the evolution of the ESR1 mutations under the selective pressure of treatment with aromatase inhibitors in the adjuvant and metastatic settings and have important implications in the optimization of adjuvant and metastatic treatment in ER + breast cancer.