In this Phase III trial involving first line treatment of patients with HER-2 positive metastatic breast cancer, the addition of Pertuzumab (an anti-HER-2 humanized monoclonal antibody that inhibits receptor dimerization) to a combination of Trastuzumab and Docetaxel significantly prolonged progression-free survival, without increase in cardiotoxicity when compared to Trastuzumab and Docetaxel alone. It appears that Pertuzumab complements Trastuzumab in targeting HER-2 receptor.
These findings from the CLEOPATRA trial have demonstrated that comprehensive HER-2 blockade may result in improved outcomes for patients with breast cancer over expressing HER-2.
The original article was published in the January 2012 issue of the NEJM.
