Dr. Mitri on Developments in HER2+ Breast Cancer

Zahi Mitri, MD, MS, assistant professor of medicine, Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), discusses developments in the treatment of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.

Currently, several effective novel therapies are available for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, although it is common for there to be concern and unfamiliarity with how to best utilize these options, according to Mitri. The benefits observed with these drugs, especially the combinations of tucatinib (Tukysa) and fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (Enhertu), significantly outweigh the potential adverse effects, Mitri notes.

The positive data reported with tucatinib and trastuzumab deruxtecan should be encouraging, and these regimens should not only be recommended to patients, but also included in earlier lines of therapy because of their substantial benefit over chemotherapy plus trastuzumab (Herceptin), or other available regimens, Mitri concludes.