A study opens the door to a new drug strategy for patients with metastatic breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the world and it is estimated that by 2024 more than 36,000 new cases to the Spanish State. Ara, the results of a clinical trial in phase 3 have shown that The ancient conjugate of trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) presents better results than the conventional chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer Metastatic hormone receptor positivity at low levels of the HER2 protein – approximately 70% of breast tumors are of this type – which have undergone one or more lines of endocrine therapy.

The results of DESTINY-06, with the doctor from Vall d’Hebron Cristina Saura as co-author, they have been published in the journal The New England Journal of Medicine It might be assumed that more patients benefit from targeted HER2 treatments in the early stages of metastasis. T-DXd is part of the innovative family of ADC medications, which act selectively against cancer cells.

“After these results we think that more patients considered HER2 negative could benefit from a treatment directed against HER2 in earlier lines of the management of malaria,” explains Saura, who is also head of the Breast Cancer Group of Vall d ‘Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO).

The assessment will include the participation of 866 patients

Therefore, the DESTINIY-06 test will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of T-DXd in comparison with the chemotherapy of the patient’s choice in patients with metastatic breast cancer RH+ and HER2 low or ultra low who have reappeared one or more times. endocrine therapies, but without prior chemotherapy in metastasis.

In l’assaig hi they will participate 866 patients. In those who, with HER2 low, will be treated with T-DXd, a reduction in the risk of progression of malaria of 38% will be observed in those who undergo chemotherapy. The mitjana of lliure survival of progression – the time that passes from the beginning of the treatment until the tumor grows again – will be 13.2 months in patients treated with the ancient conjugate compared to 8.1 months in patients treated with chemotherapy . These results will also be consistent in the subgroup of patients with ultra-low HER2 levels (153).

“These results are especially relevant because they point out that the T-DXd treatment targets the HER2 protein, even at very low levels, could represent a therapeutic advantage over traditional chemotherapy for these patients, adding the names of people who could “benefit from treatments directed against HER2 in the earliest stages of the management of metastatic breast cancer,” says Saura in statements collected by VHIO.

This oncologist claims that at present this new treatment indication is not approved by the regulatory agencies nor funded by the State, the results open the door to new future treatment options for patients with metastatic breast cancer both expressed. low or ultra-low HER2.