About 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. There are three main types of breast cancer: ER-positive, HER2-positive, and triple-negative.
HER2, first discovered in the late 1980s, is a protein that is overexpressed in some types of breast cancer. HER2-positive breast cancer tends to be more aggressive than other types of breast cancer. HER2-positive breast cancer is a more aggressive subtype of breast cancer.
HER2-positive breast cancer accounts for about 20-30% of all breast cancers. The remaining 80% or so of metastatic breast cancers are currently categorized as HER2-negative; of these cancers, approximately 55-60% express low levels of HER2. Until now, HER2-directed therapy has been traditionally available only for HER2-positive cancers. However, that is likely to change based on findings of a landmark trial presented at ASCO 2022 meeting.
Trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu®), a new HER2-targeting antibody-drug conjugate, doubled progression-free survival compared to standard-of-care treatment with conventional chemotherapy (approximately ten months vs. five months). It also significantly improved overall survival for patients with metastatic breast cancers expressing low levels of the HER2 receptor, regardless of hormone receptor status.
“This trial’s findings show that trastuzumab deruxtecan doubles progression-free survival compared to chemotherapy alone in patients with HR+, HER2-low breast cancer. By effectively creating a new category of breast cancer, HER2-low, this trial will redefine how we classify breast cancer and will significantly expand the population of patients who can benefit from HER2-targeted therapy,” said Jane Lowe Meisel, MD, ASCO Expert in breast cancers.
The long-term success of HER2-directed drugs for patients with HER2-low breast cancer remains to be seen. However, this data certainly brings a new ray of hope for patients with HER2 Low cancers who may have been running out of treatment options. For some patients, the impact is likely to be immediate and lifesaving!
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