medwireNews: The US FDA has approved the use of tucatinib as a second-line or later treatment for patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer.
The oral small molecule inhibitor of HER2 may be used alongside trastuzumab and capecitabine after initial use of one or more anti-HER2-based regimens.
The decision is based on results of the HER2CLIMB trial which demonstrated a progression-free survival benefit with the addition of tucatinib to trastuzumab and capecitabine after prior treatment with trastuzumab, pertuzumab, or ado-trastuzumab emtansine, including among patients with brain metastases.
The recommended tucatinib dose is 300 mg twice daily and common adverse events reported include diarrhea, palmar–plantar erythrodysesthesia, nausea, fatigue, and hepatotoxicity.
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