About HER2-low and HER2-ultralow Metastatic Breast Cancer

In patients with HR+/HER2-negative mBC

Median PFS and treatment continuation steeply decline in later lines of therapy

mPFS by line of treatment (months)1-11

Patient attrition by line of treatment (%)12,a

  • mPFS ranges represent estimates from publicly available clinical trial data for FDA-approved treatments. These clinical trials were conducted independently, and their outcomes are not intended to be used as a cross-trial comparison. Individual results may vary

Patients with HR+/HER2-negative mBC need options that offer the potential for improved outcomes following 1-2 lines of ET

aHR+/HER2-negative mBC patient attrition rates were calculated as the percentage of patients who completed a certain therapy line but did not start the next therapy line using the PRAEGNANT Research Network real-world registry.12

For eligible patients with HR+/HER2-low (IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH–) or HER2-ultralow (IHC 0 with membrane staining) mBC who have received at least 1 line of ET in the metastatic setting1

ENHERTU expands the opportunity for HER2-directed therapy for eligible patients with mBC

HR+/​HER2-negative mBC13,14,b

˜Approximately 85%-90% of patients with HR+/HER2-negative mBC may have actionable levels of HER2 expression:  HER2-low (IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH–) or HER2-ultralow (IHC 0 with membrane staining). ˜Approximately 85%-90% of patients with HR+/HER2-negative mBC may have actionable levels of HER2 expression:  HER2-low (IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH–) or HER2-ultralow (IHC 0 with membrane staining).

bAs demonstrated in DESTINY-Breast06 screening data. Among the 1856 patients screened for participation in the study, 12% (225 patients) had IHC 0 with absent membrane staining, while 22% (402 patients) were classified as HER2-ultralow, defined as IHC 0 with membrane staining. IHC 1+ was observed in 45% (829 patients), and IHC 2+/ISH– in 21% (385 patients).13

cComplete membrane staining that is intense but within ≤10% of tumor cells is also considered IHC 2+.14

Any membrane staining matters when determining eligibility for ENHERTU in HR+/HER2-low or HER2-ultralow mBC1,15

Example HER2 IHC testing images13-17

˜Approximately 85%-90% of patients with HR+/HER2-negative mBC may have actionable levels of HER2 expression:  HER2-low (IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH–) or HER2-ultralow (IHC 0 with membrane staining). ˜Approximately 85%-90% of patients with HR+/HER2-negative mBC may have actionable levels of HER2 expression:  HER2-low (IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH–) or HER2-ultralow (IHC 0 with membrane staining).

dIf IHC 2+ (equivocal), ISH testing is required.

eComplete membrane staining that is intense but within ≤10% of tumor cells is also considered IHC 2+.14

NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) recognize HER2-low and HER2-ultralow as clinically relevant classifications of HER2-negative mBC18

HER2 test results and implications for treatment18,f

˜Approximately 85%-90% of patients with HR+/HER2-negative mBC may have actionable levels of HER2 expression:  HER2-low (IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH–) or HER2-ultralow (IHC 0 with membrane staining). ˜Approximately 85%-90% of patients with HR+/HER2-negative mBC may have actionable levels of HER2 expression:  HER2-low (IHC 1+ or IHC 2+/ISH–) or HER2-ultralow (IHC 0 with membrane staining).
  • HER2 IHC results with a score of 0 should include the specific staining pattern (0/absent membrane staining or 0+/with membrane staining) per current College of American Pathologists Breast Cancer Biomarker Reporting Protocol18
  • NCCN classifications of HER2-negative mBC align with those previously established by ASCO and the College of American Pathologists14

fAll recommendations are Category 2A.18

gThe distinction between HER2 (ERBB2) IHC 0/absent membrane staining, IHC 0+/with membrane staining (faint, partial membrane staining in ≤10%), IHC 1+, or 2+/ISH negative results (on primary or metastatic samples) is currently clinically relevant since patients with metastatic disease may be eligible for treatment targeting non-amplified levels of HER2 expression.18

hAdditional less common staining patterns such as moderate to intense but incomplete membrane staining (basolateral staining often seen in micropapillary cancers) are also categorized as having a score of 2+. Equivocal 2+ results should reflex to testing to determine final HER2 status (same specimen using ISH) or order a new test (new specimen if available, using IHC or ISH).18

iReadily appreciated using a low-power objective and observed within a homogeneous and contiguous population of invasive tumor cells.18

jPatients must meet additional eligibility criteria to be considered candidates for ENHERTU.1

1L, first line; 2L, second line; 3L, third line; ASCO, American Society of Clinical Oncology; CDK4/6, cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6; ERBB2, erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2; ET, endocrine therapy; HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; HR+, hormone receptor-positive; IHC, immunohistochemistry; ISH, in situ hybridization; mBC, metastatic breast cancer; mPFS, median progression-free survival; NCCN, National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®); PFS, progression-free survival.