Dr. Hainsworth on Selecting Therapy Based on Genetics

Author(s):

John D. Hainsworth, MD, co-founder; principal investigator, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, discusses the results of the MyPathway trial, which was an open-label, phase IIa umbrella basket study.

John D. Hainsworth, MD, co-founder; principal investigator, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, discusses the results of the MyPathway trial, which was an open-label, phase IIa basket study exploring treatments for patients with specific genetic alterations, regardless of histology.

The nationwide MyPathway study is an ongoing, non-randomized trial that is evaluating treatment options for patients with advanced cancer for whom no beneficial treatment is available. Patients, who must have tumors expressing abnormalities in the HER2, BRAF, hedgehog, or EGFR pathways, are matched with drugs targeting these abnormalities.

Patients with HER2-positive tumors received a combination of trastuzumab and pertuzumab, while those with BRAF alterations received vemurafenib. Hedgehog pathway-mutant tumors were treated with vismodegib, and erlotinib was given to patients with EGFR-mutant cancer.

In the trial, a total of 29 patients (23%) across 12 types of cancer responded to targeted treatment, and the most promising efficacy was seen in patients with HER2 abnormalities. Of those with HER2-abnormalities across 11 types of cancer, 28% (17/61) experienced a complete or partial response and 15% (9/61) had stable disease for more than 4 months.

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