Dr. Bekaii-Saab on Safety Profile of Tucatinib/Trastuzumab in HER2-Amplified mCRC

Tanios S. Bekaii-Saab, MD, FACP, medical oncologist, medical director, Cancer Clinical Research Office, vice chair and section chief, Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, discusses the safety profile of the combination of tucatinib and trastuzumab (Herceptin) in patients with HER2-amplified metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

According to results of the phase II MOUNTAINEER trial, the combination appeared to be very well tolerated in this patient population, says Bekaii-Saab. Tucatinib has a relatively low rate of off-target toxicities apart from fatigue and diarrhea, which are manageable.

Initial results from the trial showed that the median duration of response was not reached. Moreover, patients who responded to treatment have tolerated it very well and have, for the most part, been able to return to their daily lives, says Bekaii-Saab. The trial is expected to have a large impact on the field and increase access to HER2-targeted therapy in mCRC.