PAINTER: Polymorphism And INcidence of Toxicity in ERibulin Treatment

On March 17th, 2011, the European Commission issued a marketing authorization valid throughout the European Union for Eribulin mesylate (Halaven; Eisai Limited), for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have progressed after at least two chemotherapic regimens for advanced disease. As the use of Eribulin will be widespread in this tumor setting, a better knowledge of its safety profile outside clinical trials is warranted. Indeed the possibility to select patients at risk for developing Eribulin-induced neuropathy, will allow the exclusion from these treatment of those patients harbouring the specific single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Given that Eribulin toxicity often results in treatment discontinuation, the ability to anticipate which patients will experience severe toxicity could allow for either early intervention or even possibly for prophylactic therapy, or for selection of the patients to be treated.