Dr. Ahmed on Remaining Questions With Tucatinib in Breast Cancer Brain Metastases

Kamran A. Ahmed, MD, an assistant member in the Department of Radiation Oncology and the Department of Immunology at Moffitt Cancer Center and an assistant professor in the Department of Oncologic Sciences at the University of South Florida, discusses remaining questions with the use of tucatinib (Tukysa) in breast cancer–related brain metastases.

The data reported from the phase 2 HER2CLIMB trial demonstrated that tucatinib has a role in metastatic breast cancer, says Ahmed. What is interesting to see from the central nervous system data presented during the 2020 ASCO Virtual Scientific Program is the potential role that systemic therapies, such as tucatinib, have in the management of patients with active brain metastases who have not received previous local therapy.

However, questions remain with regard to the agent’s potential role in the management of patients with small asymptomatic brain metastases. In order to examine the intracranial response rate data in greater detail, the full study will need to be released; however, the available data reported thus far is quite intriguing, concludes Ahmed.