Antibody Drug Boosts Survival for Type of Advanced Breast Cancer

THURSDAY, Dec. 8, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- A relatively new drug is boosting survival rates for women with a specific type of advanced breast cancer who haven't responded to other treatments, according to a pair of clinical trials.

The targeted antibody drug — trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd, sold under the brand name Enhertu) — dramatically outperformed an older antibody drug in one trial, quadrupling the number of months women survived without their cancer progressing.

T-DXd also outperformed standard chemotherapy in another clinical trial, more than doubling the number of months of progression-free survival and reducing the risk of death by 34%.

T-DXd is aimed at helping patients who have HER2-positive breast cancers.

HER2 is a protein that promotes growth of breast cancer cells. About 20% of patients have tumors with higher levels of HER2.

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By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter