Dr. Conlin on the Practice-Changing Data of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in HER2+ Breast Cancer

Alison K. Conlin, MD, medical oncology, Providence Cancer Institute Franz Clinic, discusses the practice-changing data of fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (Enhertu) in HER2-positive breast cancer.

The phase 3 DESTINY-Breast03 trial (NCT03529110) evaluated the safety and efficacy of the antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) trastuzumab deruxtecan vs ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1; Kadcyla) in patients with HER2-positive, unresectable or metastatic breast cancer.

The benefit in responses and progression-free survival elicited by trastuzumab deruxtecan compared with T-DM1 served as practice-changing data, Conlin says. In May 2022, the FDA granted regular approval to trastuzumab deruxtecan for adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have previously received an anti–HER2-based regimen either in the metastatic setting, or in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting, and have developed disease recurrence during or within 6 months of therapy completion, based on data from DESTINY-Breast03.

Though the toxicity profile of trastuzumab deruxtecan should be discussed with patients, the high clinical benefit observed with the ADC also offers great promise for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, Conlin concludes.