Dr. Shimomura Discusses the HERB TEA Study in HER2+ Breast Cancer

Akihiko Shimomura, MD, PhD, Department of Breast and Medical Oncology, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, discusses the HERB TEA trial (JCOG1607) in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.

HERB TEA trial is a phase III study comparing ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1; Kadcyla) with trastuzumab (Herceptin), pertuzumab (Perjeta), and docetaxel in elderly patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer. The rationale for this study, Shimomura says, is the lack of tolerable options for patients over 65 years of age. Traditionally, systemic chemotherapy with an anti-HER2 therapy is the standard of care for patients with HER2-positive advanced breast cancer.

Patients enrolled in the trial will be randomized to receive trastuzumab with pertuzumab and docetaxel or T-DM1. The primary endpoint of HERB TEA is overall survival, and secondary endpoints are progression-free survival, response rate, adverse events (AEs), breast cancer-related death, and quality of life (QoL). AEs and QoL are of particular importance in this subgroup, as they often experience intolerable physical and mental side effects from traditional treatment.