Patients with metastatic breast cancer whose tumors express low levels of HER2 are generally classified and treated as having HER2-negative disease.

However, Dr. Shanu Modi of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a group of international collaborators explored the use of a monoclonal antibody–drug conjugate (trastuzumab–deruxtecan) in patients with disease they classify as HER2-“low.” Compared with “low” patients treated with one of several standard-of-care regimens, those receiving the conjugate therapy had greater median progression-free survival (roughly 10 months versus 5) and a longer overall survival (roughly 24 versus 18 months).

Christine Sadlowski of the NEJM Group interviewed Dr. Modi during the Group’s coverage of this year’s ASCO meeting, where Modi presented her results.

Have a listen.

Modi et al. as published in the New England Journal of Medicine.