Suchita Pakkala, MD, assistant professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, site medical director, Infusion Services, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University Hospital Midtown, discusses ongoing efforts to integrate local therapy into HER2-positive breast cancer treatment.

The role of local therapy in the metastatic setting is currently being evaluated in HER2-positive breast cancer, Pakkala begins. In the phase 2 HER2CLIMB (NCT02614794) trial, patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who were previously treated with local central nervous system (CNS) therapy and stable brain metastases or experienced subsequent disease progression were still to permitted to enroll on the study. HER2CLIMB evaluated the addition of tucatinib (Tukysa) to trastuzumab (Herceptin) and capecitabine (Xeloda) compared with trastuzumab/ capecitabine and placebo in those who had prior treatment with trastuzumab, pertuzumab (Perjeta), and ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1; Kadcyla).

The ongoing phase 2 BRIDGET trial (NCT05323955) of patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer with isolated intracranial recurrence is evaluating stereotactic radiosurgery with or without surgery followed by enrollment onto study, where they will receive standard trastuzumab/pertuzumab or T-DM1 with the addition of tucatinib.

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Suchita Pakkala, MD, discusses ongoing efforts to integrate local therapy into HER2-positive breast cancer treatment. 

Dr. Pakkala on Integrating Local Therapy into HER2+ Breast Cancer Treatment

Suchita Pakkala, MD, assistant professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology site medical director, Infusion Services, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University Hospital Midtown, discusses the importance for clinical trial enrollment for patients with breast cancer who have brain metastases.

Additional efforts are ongoing to enroll patients with metastatic breast cancer who have brain metastases to clinical trials to better evaluate if drugs are active against central nervous system (CNS) metastases, Pakkala says. Patients with breast cancer and CNS metastases typically have a smaller window for treatment, making it vital to quickly find clinical trials where they could be eligible, Pakkala explains.

Keeping trials open at many institutions can benefit patients with brain metastases and provide additional insights into the effectiveness of different treatments, Pakkala concludes.


Suchita Pakkala, MD, discusses the importance for clinical trial enrollment for patients with breast cancer who have brain metastases. 


Suchita Pakkala, MD

Articles

Dr. Pakkala on Integrating Local Therapy into HER2+ Breast Cancer Treatment

Dr. Pakkala on Clinical Trial Enrollment for Patients With Breast Cancer and Brain Metastases