T-DM1 for residual, invasive, HER2-positive breast cancer

A new study has concluded that adjuvant trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) reduces the risk of recurrence or death in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer who have residual disease after neoadjuvant therapy and surgery. In the phase 3, open-label trial, women with HER2-positive, early-stage breast cancer had received neoadjuvant therapy consisting of at least six cycles of chemotherapy, including a taxane, and trastuzumab for at least 9 weeks. Patients were randomly assigned to receive 14 cycles of either T-DM1 or trastuzumab (n=743 per group). The primary endpoint was invasive disease-free survival.