Trastuzumab deruxtecan in previously treated HER2-low advanced breast cancer: a plain language summary of the DESTINY-Breast04 study
Our partner journal Future Oncology recently published a plain language summary of publication describing the DESTINY-Breast04 study, which demonstrated that patients with advanced or metastatic HER2-low breast cancer treated with trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) experienced significantly longer progression-free survival compared to those receiving standard chemotherapy.
Abstract
What is this summary about?
This is a summary of the publication about the DESTINY-Breast04 study, whichwas published in the New England Journal of Medicine in July 2022. The studyincluded 557 adults with advanced or metastatic, HER2-low breast cancer. All ofthe participants’ cancer had worsened after previously receiving chemotherapy.The researchers wanted to know whether a drug called trastuzumab deruxtecan(T-DXd) could improve participants’ cancer more than another round ofstandard chemotherapy.
What are the key takeaways?
Participants who received T-DXd lived for an average of 9.9 months afterstarting treatment before their cancer got worse, and participants whoreceived standard chemotherapy lived for an average of 5.1 months afterstarting treatment before their cancer got worse.Participants who received T-DXd lived for an average of 23.4 months afterstarting treatment, and participants who received standard chemotherapylived for an average of 16.8 months after starting treatment.52.3% of participants who received T-DXd had their tumors shrink significantly ordisappear, compared with 16.3% of those who received standard chemotherapy.27.8% of participants who received T-DXd developed serious medical problems, and 25.0% of those who received standard chemotherapydeveloped serious medical problems. These serious medical problems may or may not have been caused by the treatments in this study.The most common medical problem that was possibly caused by T-DXd was nausea (feeling sick).12.1% of participants who received T-DXd developed interstitial lung disease or pneumonitis that was possibly caused by thestudy treatment, compared with 0.6% of those who received standard chemotherapy.
What were the main conclusions reported by the researchers?
In this study, cancer improved in more participants who received T-DXd than those who receivedstandard chemotherapy. Participants who received T-DXd were also more likely to get interstitial lung disease and pneumonitis, which are potentially serious medical problems. T-DXd is a treatment option for people withadvanced or metastatic HER2-low breast cancer that has been previously treated.