Targeting HER2: precision oncology for colorectal cancer

Mené en Italie sur 914 patients atteints d'un cancer colorectal métastatique HER2+ réfractaire aux traitements de référence (y compris cétuximab ou panitumumab), cet essai multicentrique de phase II évalue l'efficacité, du point de vue du pourcentage de patients avec une réponse objective, et la toxicité d'un traitement combinant lapatinib et trastuzumab

Résumé en anglais

Advanced colorectal cancer still has a poor prognosis and more active drugs are urgently needed. HER2 was investigated as a target in colorectal cancer in two early trials of trastuzumab plus chemotherapy as first, second or third line therapy, which produced interesting but conflicting results. In The Lancet Oncology, Andrea Sartore-Bianchi and colleagues3 present the results of the HERACLES trial, the first phase 2 trial in patients with refractory colorectal cancer and HER2 amplification or overexpression.