HKI-272 for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer and Brain Metastases

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients (men or women) must have histologically or cytologically confirmed invasive breast cancer, with metastatic disease. Patients without pathologic or cytologic confirmation of metastatic disease should have unequivocal evidence of metastasis by physical exam or radiologic study.
• Invasive primary tumor or metastatic tissue confirmation of HER2-positive status
• Over-expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) with score of 3+ (in > 30% of invasive tumor cells) AND/OR HER2 gene amplification (> 6 HER2 gene copies per nucleus or a FISH ratio [HER2 gene copies to chromosome 17 signals] of ≥ 2.0)
• Note: Patients with a negative or equivocal overall result (FISH ratio of < 2.0 or ≤ 6.0 HER2 gene copies per nucleus) and IHC staining scores of 0, 1+, 2+ are not eligible for enrollment
• No increase in corticosteroid dose in the week prior to baseline brain MRI
• Prior trastuzumab and lapatinib therapy are allowed.
• There is no limit to the number of previous lines of therapy (including chemotherapy, trastuzumab, and endocrine therapies)
• No prior therapy with neratinib is allowed
• At least 2 weeks washout period post chemotherapy, any prior protocol therapy, lapatinib, other targeted or biologic therapy, or radiation therapy is required prior to study entry
• No washout is required for hormonal therapy but concurrent hormonal therapy is not allowed for patients on study

Patients with progressive disease (Cohort 1):

• For cohort 1, patients must have new or progressive CNS lesions, as assessed by the patient's treating physician.
• In cohort 1, patients must have measurable CNS disease, defined as at least one parenchymal brain lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension with longest dimension ≥10 mm by local radiology review. Note: measurable non-CNS disease is NOT required for study participation
• It is anticipated that some patients may have multiple progressive CNS lesions, one or several of which are treated with SRS or surgery with residual untreated lesions remaining. Such patients are eligible for enrollment on this study providing that at least one residual (i.e. non-SRS-treated or non-resected) lesion is measurable (≥10 mm).
• Patients who have had prior cranial surgery are eligible, provided that there is evidence of measurable residual or progressive lesions, and at least 2 weeks have passed since surgery. If a patient has surgical resection followed by WBRT, then there must be evidence of progressive CNS disease after the completion of WBRT.
• Patients who have had prior WBRT and/or SRS and then whose prior treated lesions have progressed thereafter are also eligible. In this case, lesions which have been treated with SRS may be considered as target lesions if there is unequivocal evidence, in the opinion of the treating physician, of progression.

Patients with with operable disease (Cohort 2):

• In cohort 2, eligible patients will include those who have CNS disease that is amenable for surgery (typically < 3 brain metastases and with planned resection by neurosurgery). These patients may include those who have received or not received previous treatment(s) for their CNS.
• It is anticipated that that patients who have intracranial disease amenable to surgery will have measurable CNS disease prior to study entry and to resection. However, this is not an eligibility requirement. Measurable disease is also not required to continue on protocol subsequent to surgical resection.
• For patients who undergo surgery, postoperative whole brain radiation therapy will not be allowed while patients are on study (concurrent neratinib and radiation therapy has not been studied and toxicity of this is unknown). Patients will require discontinuation of neratinib if radiation therapy will be administered.

Patient Cohort 3:

-In cohort 3, eligible patients must have measurable Central Nervous System disease. Cohort 3a will have participants with no prior lapatinib therapy. Cohort 3b