Multinational randomized phase 2 trial of dual anti-HER2 therapy with or without chemotherapy for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer
Prof. Jens Huober
The standard first-line treatment for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (mBC) is the combination of trastuzumab plus pertuzumab with taxane-based chemotherapy. A randomized phase 2 trial at 57 centers in 4 European countries compared first-line trastuzumab plus pertuzumab alone versus trastuzumab plus pertuzumab alone for HER2-positive mBC, in both arms followed by trastuzumab emtansine at progression. A secondary analysis of 210 patients from this trial found longer progression-free survival with addition of chemotherapy. However, the overall survival was similar for both arms. The authors conclude that the chemotherapy-free anti-HER2 strategy is an option as first-line treatment in some patients with HER2-positive mBC.
