Monoclonal antibodyFDA-approvedFirst-line
Trastuzumab
How it works
Binds the HER2 receptor on cancer cells, blocking growth signals and flagging the cells for immune destruction.
Cancer types
Breast Cancer— HER2-positive
Efficacy
In clinical trials, around 50% of HER2-positive patients achieved an objective response, with median progression-free survival of approximately 11 months.
Side effects
Mild
Most people tolerate this treatment well. Side effects are generally manageable and do not require stopping treatment.
Evidence from research
| Study | Cancer type | Stage | Efficacy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evaluating Megestrol Acetate for Fatigue Management in Breast Cancer Patients | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Study of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients | Breast Cancer | preclinical | — | Source → |
| Testing New Anti-cancer Drugs for HER2 Gene Changes | Pancreatic Cancer | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab as Neoadjuvant Treatment for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Asciminib and Trastuzumab for HER2+ Breast Cancer Brain Metastases | Breast Cancer | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Real-world Study of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in HER2-low Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | preclinical | — | Source → |
| Studying Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in HER2-positive Breast Cancer Patients | Breast Cancer | preclinical | — | Source → |
| Testing a New Treatment for Advanced Solid Tumors | Breast Cancer | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| New Study Confirms Effectiveness of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in Chinese Patients with HER2-Mutant Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer | phase-2 | Confirmed objective response rate was 56.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 44.7-68.6). | Source → |
| Monitoring Heart Health in Breast Cancer Patients on Trastuzumab | Breast Cancer | preclinical | — | Source → |
| Comparing Treatments for HER2+ Early Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Testing Evorpacept in Combination with Trastuzumab and Chemotherapy for Metastatic HER2-Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Shows Promise in Advanced Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer | phase-2 | T-DXd led to a progression-free survival of up to 41 months from the start of T-DXd therapy. | Source → |
| Testing Pyrotinib Plus Trastuzumab and Chemotherapy for HER2-Positive Early Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Evaluating a Combination Treatment for Older Adults with HER2 Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis Treated with Trastuzumab Deruxtecan | Breast Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Testing Pyrotinib and Trastuzumab in Advanced HER2-Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| New Cancer Treatment Shows Promise for Some Lung Cancer Patients | Lung Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Sequential HER2-Targeting Therapy in Lung Cancer Patients | Lung Cancer | observational | The median overall survival was 9.2 months in the T-DM1 post-T-DXd cohort and 25.0 months in the T-DXd post-T-DM1 cohort. | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Shows Promise in Rare Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer | preclinical | — | Source → |
| Evaluating Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in Metastatic Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Testing Trastuzumab Deruxtecan and Bevacizumab for Ovarian Cancer | Ovarian Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Testing Radiation Therapy with Trastuzumab/Pertuzumab for HER2+ Breast Leptomeningeal Disease | Breast Cancer | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Trastuzumab and Pertuzumab Transfer into Breast Milk | Breast Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Rare Lung Cancer Case Responds to New Treatment | Lung Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Combining Two Treatments May Help Fight Aggressive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Study of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in Early Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Testing a New Treatment for Advanced Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| 12 Months vs. 6 Months of HER2-targeted Medications for HER2+ Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Testing a Combination Treatment for HER2 Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Monitoring Heart Health in Breast Cancer Patients on Trastuzumab Therapy | Breast Cancer | preclinical | — | Source → |
| Study of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in Various Cancers | Lung Cancer | phase-1/2 | — | Source → |
| Combining two treatments shows promise for lung cancer | Lung Cancer | preclinical | The sotorasib-T-DXd combination induced deeper and more durable tumor regressions than either monotherapy, including in SR xenograft models. | Source → |
| Testing a Combination of Medications for HER2-Positive Early-Stage Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Testing Trastuzumab Deruxtecan for Recurrent Ovarian Cancer | Ovarian Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Durvalumab, Trastuzumab, and Pertuzumab in HER2-Enriched Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Study of Tucatinib and Trastuzumab-Pertuzumab for Metastatic HER2+ Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Testing Trastuzumab Deruxtecan for Metastatic Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Testing Elacestrant and Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in Metastatic Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-1/2 | — | Source → |
| Study of Atezolizumab, Pertuzumab, and Trastuzumab in HER2-positive Breast Cancer with Brain Metastases | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Evaluating Trastuzumab Deruxtecan for HER2 Mutations in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Trastuzumab May Not Protect Kidneys in Breast Cancer Patients | Breast Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab Combination Shows Promise in Urothelial Cancer | Ovarian Cancer | phase-2 | The disease control rate was 37% in the urothelial cancer cohort. | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Shows Promise in Lung Cancer with Acquired HER2 Amplification | Lung Cancer | observational | A partial response was achieved with reduced-dose Trastuzumab deruxtecan. | Source → |
| New Treatment Combination Shows Promise for HER2 Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | Overall survival was longer in the pyrotinib group (hazard ratio 0.64 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46 to 0.89); nominal one-sided P=0.004). | Source → |
| Cardiac Risks in Breast Cancer Patients on Combination Therapy | Breast Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Testing a Combination Therapy for ER-Positive, HER-2 Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Comparing Infection Risks of Two Breast Cancer Treatments | Breast Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Testing Sotorasib and Trastuzumab Deruxtecan for Lung Cancer with KRAS G12C Mutation | Lung Cancer | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Trial Tests Combo Cancer Treatment | Breast Cancer | phase-1 | — | Source → |
| Researchers Identify New Ways Cancer Cells Resist Treatment | Breast Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Resistance Varies in HER2-Amplified vs. HER2-Low Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Ebastine May Help Overcome Resistance to Trastuzumab in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Dual HER2 Blockade Improves Outcomes in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | meta-analysis | The P + H arm showed significant improvements in 3-year EFS rate (RR 1.08, 95% CI 1.00-1.16, p = 0.04), 5-year EFS rate (RR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.20, p = 0.03), and 5-year DFS rate (RR 1.09, 95% CI 0.99-1.20). | Source → |
| EMP3 Expression Linked to Poor Prognosis in HER2-Enriched Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Researchers Report Two Cases of Complete Metabolic Responses to New Cancer Treatment | Lung Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| New Treatment Option for Rare Lung Cancer Transformation | Lung Cancer | preclinical | The patient had a partial response with a progression-free survival of 13.1 months. | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Shows Promise in Lung Cancer Treatment | Lung Cancer | observational | The median progression-free survival was 7.85 months, and the objective response rate was 51.4%. | Source → |
| New Cancer Treatment Shows Promise in Breast and Ovarian Cancer | Ovarian Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Emtansine Efficacy and Safety in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | observational | The 4-years disease-free survival (DFS) rate was 92.5% (95%CI=[87;98]). | Source → |
| Comparing Heart Risks of Cancer Treatments for ERBB2-Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | meta-analysis | The pooled analysis demonstrated a 0.94% incidence of LVEF decrease with trastuzumab emtansine, a 4.20% incidence with trastuzumab deruxtecan, a 4.85% incidence with trastuzumab plus chemotherapy, and a 5.52% incidence with trastuzumab plus pertuzumab plus chemotherapy. | Source → |
| Metabolites Linked to Trastuzumab Resistance in Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| European Study on Lung Disease Risk with Breast Cancer Treatment | Breast Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Combining Trastuzumab Deruxtecan and Abiraterone Shows Promise in Prostate Cancer | Prostate Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Reducing Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Dose May Not Harm Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients | Breast Cancer | observational | The overall median real-world progression-free survival was 8.1 months. | Source → |
| New Study Compares Cancer Treatment Effectiveness in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Patients | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | Seven-year invasive disease-free survival was 80.8% with T-DM1 and 67.1% with trastuzumab (difference, 13.7 percentage points). | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Shows Promise in Treating HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Brain Metastases | Breast Cancer | meta-analysis | The overall antitumor response rate was 60.4%, and the disease control rate was 94.4%. | Source → |
| New Treatment Options for Advanced HER2-Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | Median overall survival for patients in the tucatinib arm was 21.9 months compared with 17.4 months for patients in the control arm. | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Shows Promise in Treating Advanced Lung Cancer | Lung Cancer | meta-analysis | T-DXd showed a 100% probability of being the best treatment for progression-free survival, ≥59% for overall survival, and ≥80% for overall response rate. | Source → |
| New Imaging Agent Shows Promise for Cancer Detection | Melanoma | animal-study | — | Source → |
| New Treatment Strategy for Trastuzumab-Resistant Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| New Treatment Option for Advanced Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | The median progression-free survival was 13.2 months in the trastuzumab deruxtecan group and 8.1 months in the chemotherapy group. | Source → |
| Subcutaneous Trastuzumab/Pertuzumab Shortens Patient Treatment Time | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | SC administration of HP shortened patient time burden by approximately 1 hour. | Source → |
| New Hope for Lung Cancer Patients with HER2 Alterations | Lung Cancer | review | — | Source → |
| New Combination Therapy Shows Promise in Treating Pancreatic Cancer | Pancreatic Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Therapy May Benefit Some HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Patients | Breast Cancer | observational | The 5-year disease-free survival rate was 91.76% in patients with lower SII levels who received trastuzumab, compared to 82.76% in those with higher SII levels. | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Cardiotoxicity in Breast Cancer Patients | Breast Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| New Study Compares Treatments for Early Stage HER2-Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | Patients treated with T-DM1 had better disease-free survival. | Source → |
| New Treatment Option for Advanced HER2-Low Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | review | — | Source → |
| New Treatment Option for Lung Cancer with HER2 Mutation Shows Promise | Lung Cancer | preclinical | — | Source → |
| Neratinib Reduces Breast Cancer Recurrence in Some Patients | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | Neratinib reduces the risk of recurrence and significantly improves invasive disease-free survival of patients with early-stage HER2+ breast cancer. | Source → |
| Reducing Chemotherapy in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Cost-effectiveness of trastuzumab deruxtecan in Finland | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | Total quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and life years (LYs) gained for T-DXd compared with T-DM1 were 1.93 and 2.56, respectively. | Source → |
| New Study Explores Effectiveness of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan in Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | The confirmed objective response rate was 70.6% in HER2-overexpressing patients, 37.5% in HER2-low patients, and 29.7% in HER2 non-expressing patients. | Source → |
| HER2-low Breast Cancer Treatment Options Explored | Breast Cancer | review | Anti-HER2 antibody-drug conjugate trastuzumab deruxtecan has shown significant survival benefit. | Source → |
| Body Mass Index May Affect Breast Cancer Treatment Outcomes | Breast Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| HER2-Mutated Lung Cancer Patient Responds to New Treatment | Lung Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| New Treatment Options for HER2-low Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Cost-effectiveness of trastuzumab deruxtecan for HER2-low breast cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | — | Source → |
| Understanding Resistance to Trastuzumab in HER2+ Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | meta-analysis | — | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Deruxtecan's Effect on Heart Rhythm in Breast Cancer Patients | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| No Chemotherapy Needed for Some Early-Stage Breast Cancer Patients | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | 37.9% of participants achieved a disappearance of all invasive cancer in the breast and axillary lymph nodes. | Source → |
| Comparing a New Trastuzumab Biosimilar to the Original Treatment in China | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | The 5-year mortality rate was 84.4% in the HLX02 group, while the mortality rate was 91.2% in the trastuzumab group. | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Side Effects in Breast Cancer Patients Studied | Breast Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Cost-Effectiveness in Indonesian Breast Cancer Patients | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | PFS was longer in the chemotherapy alone group, with a difference of 2.2 months. | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Linked to Lung Toxicity in Cancer Patients | Lung Cancer | review | — | Source → |
| New Treatment Shows Promise for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Patients with Brain Metastases | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | The researchers found a 75% improvement in progression-free survival among those with baseline brain metastases. | Source → |
| New Treatments for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | review | — | Source → |
| Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab Plus Chemotherapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | observational | The median overall survival was 14.9 months longer in patients receiving pertuzumab compared to control patients. | Source → |
| Monitoring Heart Health in Breast Cancer Patients on Trastuzumab | Breast Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Obesity Linked to Higher Risk of Heart Damage in Breast Cancer Patients | Breast Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Comparing Costs of Cancer Treatments in the US and China | Breast Cancer | phase-3 | Margetuximab plus chemotherapy had a gain of 0.11 and 0.09 QALYs compared to trastuzumab plus chemotherapy in the US and China, respectively. | Source → |
| New Biomarker Predicts Resistance to Trastuzumab in Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | lab-study | High α-SMA expression in the stroma was associated with a hazard ratio of 3.12 for recurrence on trastuzumab. | Source → |
| Tucatinib Shows Promise for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | meta-analysis | — | Source → |
| Researchers Report Successful HER2 Targeting in Rare Colorectal Cancer Case | Colorectal Cancer | observational | Treatment with trastuzumab + lapatinib resulted in an excellent response that lasted for 10 months. | Source → |
| New Treatment Combination for Brain Metastases in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | The CNS objective response rate was 11% (95% CI, 3 to 25), with four partial responses (median duration of response, 4.6 months). | Source → |
| New Cancer Treatment Shows Promise for HER2-Positive Patients | Lung Cancer | review | — | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Cardiotoxicity Rates in Breast Cancer Patients | Breast Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| HER2 P95 Isoform Linked to Trastuzumab Resistance in Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Quality of Reviews on Trastuzumab-Based Breast Cancer Therapy | Breast Cancer | meta-analysis | — | Source → |
| Long-term Trastuzumab Use in Breast Cancer Patients: Who Needs Cardiac Monitoring? | Breast Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Trastuzumab's Effect on Gastric Cancer Treatment | Breast Cancer | observational | After IPTW adjustment, AT combined with trastuzumab showed a better overall survival (OS) over chemotherapy alone (p = 0.023). | Source → |
| New Antibody Combination Shows Promise Against HER2-Overexpressing Cancers | Breast Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
| BCL-2 levels change in response to HER2-targeted therapy | Breast Cancer | phase-2 | — | Source → |
| Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Shows Promise for Lung Cancer Patients with Poor Health | Lung Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| Comparing Costs of Trastuzumab Treatments for Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | observational | — | Source → |
| MSCs Contribute to Trastuzumab Resistance in Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer | lab-study | — | Source → |
This information is provided for general education only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making treatment decisions.