Breast Cancer FemalePhase 3POETIC-ANCT04584853
PreOperative Endocrine Therapy for Individualised Care With Abemaciclib
A Phase 3 study testing Abemaciclib and Endocrine therapy (letrozole, anastrozole, exemestane or tamoxifen) in people with Breast Cancer Female, run by Institute of Cancer Research, United Kingdom at 62 sites in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
POETIC-A is a phase 3 trial which targets post-menopausal primary breast cancer patients with a high 5-year risk of relapse as determined by a high Ki67 after 2 weeks aromatase inhibitor therapy pre-surgery. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Breast Cancer Female
- What is being tested?
- Abemaciclib and Endocrine therapy (letrozole, anastrozole, exemestane or tamoxifen)
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 123 participants
- Where
- 62 sitesUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 23 Dec 2020to Oct 2030
- Phase
- Phase 3
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Registration Stage Inclusion Criteria:
- Women determined to be postmenopausal according to established local criteria.
- Diagnosed operable invasive breast cancer with a clinical/radiological tumour size ≥1.0cm*
- Grade 2 or 3 tumours
- Preoperative full assessment completed (including bilateral breast examination and imaging with mammogram +/- ultrasound/MRI as performed locally).
- Tumour ER positive. ER positivity is defined as >/=1% cells staining positive (or equivalent Allred Score of ER >/=3 out of 8).
- Tumour HER2 negative or HER2 status unknown. HER2 negativity will be defined as per the 2018 ASCO/CAP updated guidelines. Patients whose HER2 status is pending/unknown at the time of registration will be allowed to register to the trial. However, please note that only patients who are confirmed to be HER2 negative will be eligible to join the randomised part.
- Received or planned to receive 10 days to 6 months of anastrozole or letrozole prior to surgery.
- Written informed consent to enter the registration stage of the trial and to donation of fresh tissue.
- The patient has given written informed consent prior to any study-specific procedures and is willing and able to make herself available for the duration of the study and amenable and able to follow study schedule during treatment and follow-up and for the use of routinely collected electronic health and related records.
Registration Stage Exclusion Criteria:
- Men and pre/perimenopausal women.
- Intended or actual use of HRT or any other oestrogen-containing medication (including vaginal oestrogens) within 4 weeks prior to planned surgery). Note: patient with a Mirena coil in situ at the time of registration are not excluded.
- Patients who commenced pre-surgical AI therapy >6 months prior to surgery.
- Prior endocrine therapy for breast cancer or breast cancer prevention.
- Prior neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.
- Evidence of metastatic disease.
- Locally advanced breast cancer not amenable to surgery.
- Bilateral invasive breast cancer (excluding contralateral DCIS/LCIS).
- Multiple unilateral tumours with different ER and/or HER2 status. Synchronous DCIS/LCIS, as well as multifocal disease with homogenous ER/HER2 status is allowed if at least one lesion is at least 1.0cm; the largest lesion should be used for sample collection and CRF completion. If ER/HER2 status of smaller foci is unknown at time of registration, patients can be registered; however, note that congruity of receptor status will need to be confirmed by the time of randomisation, unless smaller foci are <10mm and receptor status is unknown.
- Previous invasive breast cancer except for ipsilateral DCIS or LCIS treated >5 years previously by locoregional therapy alone or contralateral DCIS/LCIS treated by locoregional therapy at any time.
- Any invasive malignancy diagnosed within previous 5 years (other than non-melanoma skin cancer or cervical carcinoma in situ).
- Any other medical condition likely to exclude the patient from subsequent randomisation stage. (See exclusion criteria: Eligibility for Randomisation).
Randomisation Stage Inclusion Criteria:
- Patient previously consented and registered for screening component of POETIC-A.
- Tumour HER2 negative. HER2 negativity will be defined as per the 2018 ASCO/CAP updated guidelines
- Centrally confirmed Ki67 >/=8% following 2 weeks of AI.
- Patient is expected by the time of treatment initiation to have undergone definitive surgery for the primary breast tumour with clear radial margins as judged by the multidisciplinary team, and will have completed any adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy (if prescribed).
- Surgical staging of the axilla must have been undertaken by sentinel node biopsy, axillary sampling or dissection.
- The patient is randomised in time for treatment to start no later than three months after completion of non-endocrine therapy (defined as the final fraction of radiotherapy, Day 1 of the final cycle of chemotherapy or the date of the final surgical procedure).
- The patient is able to swallow oral medications (excluding transient side effects from adjuvant non-endocrine treatment, if randomised before the end of this treatment).
- The patient intends to take adjuvant endocrine therapy for at least 5 years.
- The patient has given written informed consent prior to any study-specific procedures (for the randomised intervention part), is willing to donate tissue from diagnostic biopsy, and is willing and able to make herself available for the duration of the study and to follow study schedule during treatment and follow-up and for the use of routinely collected electronic health and related records.
Randomisation Stage Exclusion Criteria:
- Patient has received prior CDK4/6 inhibitor.
- Patient is planned to receive adjuvant abemaciclib as standard of care.
- Any patient with a history of VTE (for example, DVT of the leg or arm and/or PE) will be excluded. Patients with a history of venous catheter occlusion by thrombus that did NOT surround the catheter, and the lumen could be made patent by appropriate measures (for example, saline or thrombolytic agent), are not excluded.
- The patient has a serious/or uncontrolled pre-existing medical condition(s) that, in the judgment of the investigator, is likely to preclude study treatment (such as severe renal impairment, [for example, estimated creatinine clearance <30 mL/min], interstitial lung disease, severe dyspnoea at rest or requiring oxygen therapy, history of major surgical resection involving the stomach or small bowel, or pre-existing Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis or a pre-existing chronic condition resulting in baseline Grade 2 diarrhoea).
- The patient has a personal history of any of the following conditions: syncope of cardiovascular aetiology, ventricular arrhythmia of pathological origin (including, but not limited to, ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation), or sudden cardiac arrest. Exception: patients with controlled atrial fibrillation diagnosed more than 30 days prior to randomisation are not excluded.
- The patient has received an experimental treatment in a clinical trial within the last 30 days or 5 half-lives, whichever is longer, prior to randomisation, or is currently enrolled in any other type of medical research (for example: medical device) judged by the Chief Investigator not to be scientifically or medically compatible with this study.
- The patient has any known active systemic bacterial infections (that would be expected to require IV antibiotics at time of initiating study treatment), systemic fungal infection or detectable viral infection (such as known HIV positivity or with known active hepatitis B or C, e.g. hepatitis B surface antigen positive) which would be expected to preclude study treatment. Screening is not required for enrolment.
- Evidence of metastatic disease or local recurrence.
- Multiple unilateral tumours with different ER and/or HER2 status (DCIS/LCIS are permitted, and confirmation of congruent ER/HER2 status is not necessary for lesions less than 10mm).
Week 1 Day 1 Inclusion Criteria:
- Patient must have undergone definitive surgery for the primary breast tumour with clear radial margins as judged by the multidisciplinary team.
- Adjuvant chemotherapy, if prescribed, must have been completed prior to Week 1 Day 1, and patients must have recovered (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 5 [CTCAE v5] Grade ≤1) from the acute effects of chemotherapy except for residual alopecia or Grade 2 peripheral neuropathy prior to Week 1 Day 1. A washout period of a minimum of 28 days from day 1 of the last cycle of treatment is required.
- Adjuvant radiotherapy, if prescribed, must have been completed prior to Week 1 Day 1, and patients must have recovered (Grade </=1) from the acute effects of radiotherapy. A washout period of at least 14 days is required between end of radiotherapy and Week 1 Day 1.
- Week 1 Day 1 is scheduled to take place no later than three months after completion of non-endocrine therapy (defined as the final fraction of radiotherapy, Day 1 of the final cycle of chemotherapy or the date of the final surgical procedure, whichever is latest).
- The patient is able to swallow oral medications.
- The patient has adequate organ function for all of the following criteria defined as: ANC >/= 1.5 × 10e9/L (G-CSF cannot be administered to meet this ANC eligibility criterion); Platelets >/= 100 × 10e9/L; Haemoglobin >/= 8g/dL; Total bilirubin </= 1.5 × ULN (Patients with Gilbert's syndrome with a total bilirubin ≤2.0 times ULN and direct bilirubin within normal limits are permitted); ALT and AST </= 3 × ULN
Week 1 Day 1 Exclusion Criteria:
- Patient has received any CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy since randomisation.
- Any newly occurring or diagnosed VTE since randomisation (for example, DVT of the leg or arm and/or PE). Note: patients with a history of venous catheter occlusion by thrombus that did NOT surround the catheter, and the lumen could be made patent by appropriate measures (for example, saline or thrombolytic agent), are not excluded.
- Any newly occurring or diagnosed medical conditions since randomisation that, in the judgment of the investigator, would preclude participation in this study (such as severe renal impairment, [for example, estimated creatinine clearance <30 mL/min], interstitial lung disease, severe dyspnoea at rest or requiring oxygen therapy, major surgical resection involving the stomach or small bowel, or condition resulting in baseline Grade 2 diarrhoea).
- Any newly occurring or diagnosed cardiovascular conditions since randomisation such as: syncope of cardiovascular aetiology, ventricular arrhythmia of pathological origin (including, but not limited to, ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation), or sudden cardiac arrest.
- Major surgery within 14 days prior to Week 1 Day 1.
- The patient has received an experimental treatment in a clinical trial within the last 30 days or 5 half-lives, whichever is longer, prior to Week 1 Day 1, or is currently enrolled in any other type of medical research (for example: medical device) judged by the Chief Investigator not to be scientifically or medically compatible with this study.
- Any active systemic bacterial infections (requiring IV antibiotics at time of Week 1 Day 1), systemic fungal infection or detectable viral infection (such as known HIV positivity or active hepatitis B or C, e.g. hepatitis B surface antigen positive). Screening is not required for initiation of treatment.
- Evidence of metastatic disease or local recurrence
Trial locations and contacts
62 sites in 1 country.
62 sites in 1 country
United Kingdom62 sites
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Aberdeen
Wansbeck General Hospital
Ashington
Ysbyty Gwynedd
Bangor
Royal United Hospital Bath
Bath
Belfast City Hospital
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Royal Blackburn Hospital
Blackburn, BB2 3HH
Blackpool Victoria Hospital
Blackpool
Pilgrim Hospital
Boston
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Bournemouth
Royal Sussex County Hospital
Brighton
Burnley General Hospital
Burnley, BB10 2PQ
Doncaster Royal Infirmary
Doncaster
Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary
Dumfries
Ninewells Hospital
Dundee
Western General Hospital
Edinburgh
Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital
Exeter, Devon
The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre
Glasgow
Royal Surrey County Hospital
Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XX
Calderdale Royal Hospital
Halifax
Harrogate District Hospital
Harrogate
Huddersfield Royal Infirmary
Huddersfield
Ipswich Hospital
Ipswich, IP4 5PD
Kettering General Hospital
Kettering
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Kings Lynn, England, PE30 4ET
Kingston Hospital
Kingston upon Thames
University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay
Lancaster
Forth Valley Royal Hospital
Larbert, Scotland, FK5 4WR
St James's University Hospital
Leeds
Lincoln County Hospital
Lincoln
St John's Hospital
Livingston
Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals
London
Charing Cross Hospital
London
Royal Free Hospital
London
Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
London
St George's Hospital
London
University College London
London
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
Maidstone
North Manchester General Hospital
Manchester
The Christie Hospital
Manchester
Wythenshawe Hospital
Manchester
Borders General Hospital
Melrose
Milton Keynes University Hospital
Milton Keynes
North Tyneside General Hospital
North Shields
Northampton General Hospital
Northampton, Northants
George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust
Nuneaton
University Hospital Llandough
Penarth
Poole General Hospital
Poole
Royal Berkshire Hospital
Reading
East Surrey Hospital
Redhill
Glan Clwyd
Rhyl
Royal Shrewsbury Hospital
Shrewsbury
Southampton General Hospital
Southampton, SO166YD
University Hospitals of North Tees and Hartlepool
Stockton-on-Tees
Royal Stoke University Hospital
Stoke-on-Trent
Royal Marsden Hospital
Sutton
Great Western Hospital
Swindon, England, SN3 6BB
Musgrove Park Hospital
Taunton
Royal Cornwall Hospital
Truro, Cornwall
Mid Yorkshire -Pinderfields Hospital
Wakefield, WF1 4DG
Warwick Hospital
Warwick
Royal Albert Edward Infirmary
Wigan
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Worcester
About this study
POETIC-A is a phase 3 trial which targets post-menopausal primary breast cancer patients with a high 5-year risk of relapse as determined by a high Ki67 after 2 weeks aromatase inhibitor therapy pre-surgery. Eligible patients will be randomised to standard adjuvant endocrine therapy alone or standard adjuvant endocrine therapy with a CDK4/6 inhibitor called abemaciclib.
Read the detailed description
In women with hormone sensitive early breast cancer, taking a hormone therapy (also known as endocrine therapy) for at least five years after surgery is very effective at reducing the risk of the cancer returning. However, for some women their cancer may eventually become resistant to these drugs. POETIC-A Registration part will identify those who have a higher risk of developing resistance to standard endocrine therapy (ET). At least 8000 women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer will enter the Registration stage from 80 centres. Study doctors will use aromatase inhibitors (AIs), a type of ET, to treat the cancer for between 2 weeks and 6 months before surgery. A sample will be taken from the cancer during surgery and the study laboratory will measure a biological marker called Ki67. If the level of Ki67 does not drop after 2 weeks of AI treatment, the patient is likely to be less sensitive to endocrine therapy, and the study doctor will explore additional treatments after surgery in the POETIC-A Treatment part. Everyone who agrees to join the Treatment stage (2032 patients) will be randomly put into one of the 2 treatment groups; Group1: ET only; or Group2: ET plus a new drug called abemaciclib. The first aim of the Treatment stage is to confirm whether abemaciclib given in combination with ET is more effective than giving ET alone in preventing the cancer coming back. The study laboratory will perform a second test on the cancer sample, called an AIR-CIS test. This test aims to find out if particular groups of patients based on their tumour biology are more suitable for treatment with abemaciclib. Patients in Group 2 will receive ET plus abemaciclib for 2 years. Patients in both groups will have regular study visits during this period.
- Conditions
- Breast Cancer Female
- Being tested
- Abemaciclib, Endocrine therapy (letrozole, anastrozole, exemestane or tamoxifen)
- Keywords
- CDK4/6 inhibitor, ER+, HER2-
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
AbemaciclibDrug
Also called Verzenios
Abemaciclib used in combination with standard Endocrine Therapy for 2 years from randomisation
Endocrine therapy (letrozole, anastrozole, exemestane or tamoxifen)Drug
Also called Arimidex, Aromasin, Femara, or Tamoxifen
Standard of care endocrine therapy for a minimum of 5 years from randomisation
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Endocrine Therapy only | Active comparator | Endocrine therapy prescribed as per standard of care, for an expected duration of at least 5 years, or until evidence of disease recurrence or other discontinuation criteria are met. Choice of endocrine therapy may include non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor (letrozole or anastrozole), steroidal aromatase inhibitor (exemestane), or tamoxifen Receives: Drug: Endocrine therapy (letrozole, anastrozole, exemestane or tamoxifen) |
| Endocrine Therapy with abemaciclib | Experimental | Abemaciclib administered at dose of 150mg twice daily (provided as 50mg tablets), for 2 years or until evidence of disease recurrence or other discontinuation criteria are met.
Endocrine therapy prescribed as per standard of care, for an expected duration of at least 5 years, or until evidence of disease recurrence or other discontinuation criteria are met. Choice of endocrine therapy may include non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor (letrozole or anastrozole), steroidal aromatase inhibitor (exemestane), or tamoxifen Receives: Drug: Abemaciclib; Drug: Endocrine therapy (letrozole, anastrozole, exemestane or tamoxifen) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Time to tumour (local or distant disease) recurrence
the time from randomisation to local, regional or distant tumour recurrence or death from breast cancer without prior notification of relapse. Second primary cancers and intercurrent deaths will be treated as censoring events.
Measured: from randomisation until tumour recurrence or patient death, assessed up to 5 years
Secondary outcomes (7)
Relapse-free-survival
the time from randomisation to local, regional or distant tumour recurrence or death from any cause.
Measured: from randomisation until relapse or patient death, assessed up to 5 years
Time to distant recurrence
the time from randomisation to distant tumour recurrence. Second primary cancers and intercurrent deaths will be treated as censoring events
Measured: from randomisation until distant recurrence or patient death, assessed up to 5 years
Breast cancer specific survival
time from randomisation to death from breast cancer (with or without prior notification of relapse). Intercurrent deaths will be treated as censoring events.
Measured: from randomisation until patient death from breast cancer, assessed up to 5 years
Overall survival
time from randomisation to death from any cause.
Measured: from randomisation until patient death, assessed up to 5 years
Patient reported quality of life
measured using validated questionnaires which will be defined before the commencement of the relevant sub-study.
Measured: 5 years from randomisation
Grade 3/4 Adverse Events, SAEs and hospitalisations
assessed by NCI CTCAE v5
Measured: from treatment start up to 28 days after treatment discontinuation
Treatment related deaths
defined as death occurring at any time point after randomisation and assessed to be possibly, probably or definitely related to the intervention
Measured: 5 years from randomisation
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted14 Oct 2020
- Study start23 Dec 2020
- Primary completionOct 2030 (estimated)
- Study completionOct 2030 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Breast Cancer FemaleStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Institute of Cancer Research, United KingdomThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 3
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 123 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Institute of Cancer Research, United Kingdom
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Stephen Johnston, Principal investigator, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04584853
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- ICRCTSU/2019/10068
- Acronym
- POETIC-A
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 6 Jul 2020
- Last updated
- 14 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: The datasets generated and/or analysed during the study will be available on request from the POETIC-A trial team via poetic-a-icrctsu@icr.ac.uk via completion of a data access request form after such time that the primary analysis publication and any other key analyses have been completed. Optional advanced consent/authorisation for the possible future sharing of information collected about patients will be obtained at study entry.
Publications
Harder H, Jenkins V, Fallowfield L. Perceptions and lived experiences with abemaciclib and endocrine therapy for early breast cancer: a rapid communication. Future Oncol. 2026 Jun;22(13):1533-1539. doi: 10.1080/14796694.2026.2672132. Epub 2026 May 22.
PubMed 42169666
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 14 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- PreOperative Endocrine Therapy for Individualised Care With Abemaciclib
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04584853
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- POETIC-A / ICRCTSU/2019/10068
- Conditions
- Breast Cancer Female
- Keywords
- CDK4/6 inhibitor, ER+, HER2-
- Phase
- Phase 3
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 123 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Institute of Cancer Research, United KingdomUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 23 Dec 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Oct 2030 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Oct 2030 (estimated)
- First posted
- 14 Oct 2020 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
POETIC-A is a phase 3 trial which targets post-menopausal primary breast cancer patients with a high 5-year risk of relapse as determined by a high Ki67 after 2 weeks aromatase inhibitor therapy pre-surgery. Eligible patients will be randomised to standard adjuvant endocrine therapy alone or standard adjuvant endocrine therapy with a CDK4/6 inhibitor called abemaciclib.
Detailed description
In women with hormone sensitive early breast cancer, taking a hormone therapy (also known as endocrine therapy) for at least five years after surgery is very effective at reducing the risk of the cancer returning. However, for some women their cancer may eventually become resistant to these drugs. POETIC-A Registration part will identify those who have a higher risk of developing resistance to standard endocrine therapy (ET). At least 8000 women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer will enter the Registration stage from 80 centres. Study doctors will use aromatase inhibitors (AIs), a type of ET, to treat the cancer for between 2 weeks and 6 months before surgery. A sample will be taken from the cancer during surgery and the study laboratory will measure a biological marker called Ki67. If the level of Ki67 does not drop after 2 weeks of AI treatment, the patient is likely to be less sensitive to endocrine therapy, and the study doctor will explore additional treatments after surgery in the POETIC-A Treatment part. Everyone who agrees to join the Treatment stage (2032 patients) will be randomly put into one of the 2 treatment groups; Group1: ET only; or Group2: ET plus a new drug called abemaciclib. The first aim of the Treatment stage is to confirm whether abemaciclib given in combination with ET is more effective than giving ET alone in preventing the cancer coming back. The study laboratory will perform a second test on the cancer sample, called an AIR-CIS test. This test aims to find out if particular groups of patients based on their tumour biology are more suitable for treatment with abemaciclib. Patients in Group 2 will receive ET plus abemaciclib for 2 years. Patients in both groups will have regular study visits during this period.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Endocrine Therapy only | Active comparator | Drug: Endocrine therapy (letrozole, anastrozole, exemestane or tamoxifen)Endocrine therapy prescribed as per standard of care, for an expected duration of at least 5 years, or until evidence of disease recurrence or other discontinuation criteria are met. Choice of endocrine therapy may include non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor (letrozole or anastrozole), steroidal aromatase inhibitor (exemestane), or tamoxifen |
| Endocrine Therapy with abemaciclib | Experimental | Drug: Abemaciclib, Drug: Endocrine therapy (letrozole, anastrozole, exemestane or tamoxifen)Abemaciclib administered at dose of 150mg twice daily (provided as 50mg tablets), for 2 years or until evidence of disease recurrence or other discontinuation criteria are met. Endocrine therapy prescribed as per standard of care, for an expected duration of at least 5 years, or until evidence of disease recurrence or other discontinuation criteria are met. Choice of endocrine therapy may include non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor (letrozole or anastrozole), steroidal aromatase inhibitor (exemestane), or tamoxifen |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| AbemaciclibAlso: VerzeniosAbemaciclib used in combination with standard Endocrine Therapy for 2 years from randomisation | Drug | Endocrine Therapy with abemaciclib |
| Endocrine therapy (letrozole, anastrozole, exemestane or tamoxifen)Also: Arimidex, Aromasin, Femara, or TamoxifenStandard of care endocrine therapy for a minimum of 5 years from randomisation | Drug | Endocrine Therapy only, Endocrine Therapy with abemaciclib |
Primary outcome
Time to tumour (local or distant disease) recurrence
Time frame: from randomisation until tumour recurrence or patient death, assessed up to 5 years
the time from randomisation to local, regional or distant tumour recurrence or death from breast cancer without prior notification of relapse. Second primary cancers and intercurrent deaths will be treated as censoring events.
7 secondary outcomes
Relapse-free-survival
Time frame: from randomisation until relapse or patient death, assessed up to 5 years
Time to distant recurrence
Time frame: from randomisation until distant recurrence or patient death, assessed up to 5 years
Breast cancer specific survival
Time frame: from randomisation until patient death from breast cancer, assessed up to 5 years
Overall survival
Time frame: from randomisation until patient death, assessed up to 5 years
Patient reported quality of life
Time frame: 5 years from randomisation
Grade 3/4 Adverse Events, SAEs and hospitalisations
Time frame: from treatment start up to 28 days after treatment discontinuation
Treatment related deaths
Time frame: 5 years from randomisation
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 14 Jan 2026.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 42169666Harder H, Jenkins V, Fallowfield L. Perceptions and lived experiences with abemaciclib and endocrine therapy for early breast cancer: a rapid communication. Future Oncol. 2026 Jun;22(13):1533-1539. doi: 10.1080/14796694.2026.2672132. Epub 2026 May 22.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. The datasets generated and/or analysed during the study will be available on request from the POETIC-A trial team via poetic-a-icrctsu@icr.ac.uk via completion of a data access request form after such time that the primary analysis publication and any other key analyses have been completed. Optional advanced consent/authorisation for the possible future sharing of information collected about patients will be obtained at study entry.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Stephen Johnston principal investigator
Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
62 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 3 study testing Abemaciclib and Endocrine therapy (letrozole, anastrozole, exemestane or tamoxifen) in people with Breast Cancer Female, run by Institute of Cancer Research, United Kingdom at 62 sites in United Kingdom.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Jan 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 62 sites in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this phase mean?
Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Time to tumour (local or distant disease) recurrence (time frame: from randomisation until tumour recurrence or patient death, assessed up to 5 years). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04584853, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Jan 2026.