Women receiving first-line pertuzumab or second-line trastuzumab emtansine for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer have lower than expected survival times in clinical practice when compared with pivotal trials, researchers report.

Patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer that is refractory or resistant to trastuzumab emtansine have significantly better outcomes with trastuzumab deruxtecan than a physician’s choice treatment, shows the phase 3 DESTINY-Breast02 trial.

DOI Teaser Key Points Exon 20 insertion mutations in epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR ) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 ( HER2 ) are resistant to traditional EGFR-targeting agents.

“Overall, there is insufficient evidence to recommend one regimen over another, and the best sequencing of anti-HER2 agents in third-line and greater is unknown,” say the guideline authors.

The use of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer and up to three positive lymph nodes could be guided by the 21-gene recurrence score and response to preoperative endocrine therapy, research suggests.

Individuals with pretreated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer harboring HER2 exon 20 mutations or insertions may benefit from triple therapy with trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and docetaxel, phase 2 study findings indicate.

A phase 3 trial has demonstrated a significant progression-free survival benefit with the oral SERD elacestrant relative to standard of care in pretreated patients with estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer.

The tyrosine kinase inhibitor poziotinib has antitumor activity in heavily pretreated patients with advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer harboring HER2 exon 20 insertions, show data from the phase 2 ZENITH20 trial.

Trastuzumab deruxtecan achieves durable responses in individuals who have received prior treatment for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer harboring HER2 mutations, suggests the DESTINY-Lung01 trial.

Adding atezolizumab to neoadjuvant dual-HER2 blockade plus chemotherapy does not boost pathologic complete response rates in people with high-risk, HER2-positive, early breast cancer, find the IMpassion050 investigators.

Treatment with the novel HER2-targeted agent margetuximab improves the outcomes of heavily pretreated patients with HER2-positive advanced breast cancer, indicate phase 3 trial results.

Subcutaneous administration of pertuzumab and trastuzumab generates similar pertuzumab serum trough concentrations to those seen with intravenous pertuzumab plus trastuzumab in women with HER2-positive breast cancer, research shows.

Supplementing capecitabine with neratinib instead of lapatinib is associated with a significant improvement in the progression-free survival of previously treated patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, shows the phase 3 NALA trial.

Exploratory analyses from the KAMILLA trial indicate that trastuzumab emtansine may be a feasible option for HER2-positive breast cancer patients who have brain metastases.

The oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor pyrotinib is well tolerated and shows promising antitumor activity in people with HER2 -mutated non-small-cell lung cancer, phase 2 study data show.

The agent may also be given alongside docetaxel to patients with metastatic disease who have not previously received chemotherapy or HER2-targeted treatment, the FDA’s prescribing information states.

The EGFR and HER2 inhibitor TAK-788 has antitumor activity against non-small-cell lung cancer with EGFR exon 20 insertions, according to phase I/II findings reported at the 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Tucatinib, a selective HER2 kinase inhibitor, added to trastuzumab and capecitabine has demonstrated a survival benefit in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer and brain metastases in the HER2CLIMB trial, as presented at the virtual 2020 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Nancy Lin presents the latest findings from the HER2CLIMB trial, reporting on the intracranial efficacy of tucatinib given alongside trastuzumab and capecitabine in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer and brain metastases (5:12).

Women with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-positive locally advanced, metastatic, or recurrent breast cancer might benefit from a third- or later-line regimen of the CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib in combination with trastuzumab and fulvestrant, findings from the phase 2 monarcHER trial suggests.