The DESTINY-12 clinical trial has demonstrated high response rates and good clinical outcomes provided by T-Dxd in the treatment of people with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer. The study, co-authored by Professor Michaela Higgins, Director of the UCD Cancer Trials Cluster and Clinical Professor at UCD School of Medicine, was published in Nature Medicine.

HER2-positive breast cancer accounts for around 15-20% of all breast cancer cases. Up to half of patients with advanced disease develop brain metastases, which significantly worsens their prognosis. 

T-DXd is an antibody-drug conjugate that targets HER2. The DESTINY-12 clinical trial is the largest study to date focusing on the use of T-DXd in this patient group. 500 patients in 19 countries across the world took part in the trial, with the UCD Cancer Trials Cluster contributing more patients to this study than other Irish site. 

The research confirmed very high response rates and good clinical outcomes provided by T-Dxd (trastuzumab deruxtecan) in the treatment of people with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer, particularly in patients with brain metastases.

Prof Higgins said, “We have demonstrated that T-Dxd is an extremely active treatment for patients with HER-2 positive, advanced breast cancer and brain metastases. The treatment does come with significant potential side effects which we are becoming expert at managing. I am grateful to the wonderful patients and their families who took part in this important study which will guide treatment for future breast cancer patients. I am also proud of our team of research nurses who took tremendous care of all our patients and data managers who collated the study data efficiently and accurately”.

Read the full paper here.