Trastuzumab Deruxtecan versus Trastuzumab Emtansine for Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND: Trastuzumab emtansine is the current standard treatment for patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive metastatic breast cancer whose disease progresses after treatment with a combination of anti-HER2 antibodies and a taxane. Treatment with trastuzumab deruxtecan was associated with interstitial lung disease and pneumonitis.

⚡ This is an original paraphrased summary — not copied from the abstract. Full paper available at the source link below.

• 1 METHODS: We conducted a phase 3, multicenter, open-label, randomized trial to compare the efficacy and safety of trastuzumab deruxtecan (a HER2 antibody-drug conjugate) with those of trastuzumab emtansine in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer previously treated with trastuzumab and a taxane.
• 2 The primary end point was progression-free survival (as determined by blinded independent central review); secondary end points included overall survival, objective response, and safety.
• 3 RESULTS: Among 524 randomly assigned patients, the percentage of those who were alive without disease progression at 12 months was 75.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 69.8 to 80.7) with trastuzumab deruxtecan and 34.1% with trastuzumab emtansine (hazard ratio for progression or death from any cause, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.22 to 0.37; P<0.001).

Understanding this could lead to better treatments, improved diagnostics, or a deeper grasp of how the human body works — benefiting patient care globally.

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