Trastuzumab deruxtecan improves outcomes in patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer

The antibody-drug conjugate fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (T-DXd) significantly improved outcomes compared with chemotherapy among patients with HER2-positive gastric cancer, according to study results presented during the ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program.

Results of the phase II DESTINY-Gastric01 study were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

In the study, 125 patients were treated with trastuzumab deruxtecan and 62 with chemotherapy (55 with irinotecan and 7 paclitaxel). An objective response was reported in 51% and 14% of patients who received trastuzumab deruxtecan or chemotherapy, respectively, and overall survival was longer in patients treated with trastuzumab deruxtecan.

Grade 3 or higher adverse events included decreased neutrophil count,

Decreased neutrophil count was reported in 51% of the trastuzumab deruxtecan group and 24% of the chemotherapy group; anemia in 38% and 23%, respectively; and decreased white-cell count in 21% and 11%, respectively.

Interstitial lung disease or pneumonitis related to trastuzumab deruxtecan was reported in 12 patients, and 1 drug-related death occurred.

Reference

Shitara K, Bang YJ, Iwasa S, et al. Trastuzumab deruxtecan in previously treated HER2-positive gastric cancer. New Eng J Med. 2020;DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2004413