Chemotherapy outcomes in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-low, hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer: Insights from the French multicenter ESME database.
12 affiliations
- 1Institut du Cancer de Montpellier, INSERM U1194, Montpellier University, Montpellier, France. Electronic address: [email protected].
- 2Health Data and Partnerships Department, Unicancer, Paris, France.
- 3Daiichi Sankyo, Inc, Basking Ridge, NJ, USA.
- 4Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH, Munich, Germany.
- 5Medical Oncology Department, Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine, Nancy, France.
- 6Medical Oncology Department, Institut de Cancérologie de L'Ouest, Nantes, France.
- 7Clinical Research and Biostatistics Department, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.
- 8Medical Oncology Department, Institut Curie, Paris, France.
- 9Medical Oncology Department, Centre Oscar Lambret, Lille, France.
- 10Medical Oncology Department, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.
- 11Medical Oncology Department, Institut Bergonié, Bordeaux, France.
- 12Medical Oncology Department, Centre Eugène Marquis, Rennes, France.
Abstract
Background
The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted therapy trastuzumab deruxtecan has demonstrated significantly improved efficacy versus chemotherapy in HER2-low or -ultralow, hormone receptor (HR)-positive metastatic breast cancer (mBC) following endocrine therapy (ET). This study describes current real-world characteristics and outcomes for this population in France to inform optimized treatment sequencing, including the potential benefits of novel treatments.Methods
Data were obtained from the Unicancer Epidemiological Strategy and Medical Economics (ESME) MBC database of adult patients with mBC. Patients were diagnosed with HER2-low, HR-positive mBC between 2008 and 2022 and initiated a chemotherapy-based regimen (index line of therapy [LOT]) after ≥1 qualifying line of ET. Real-world overall survival (rwOS) and progression-free survival (rwPFS) were assessed from the start of index LOT.Results
Among 326 patients selected, index LOT was third line (3L) or greater ("index 3L+ group") for 202 (62.0%) patients and second line for 124 (38.0%) patients; 101 (31.0%) patients initiated index LOT after progression within 6 months of first-line ET + cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor ("rapid progressors"). Median rwOS (95% confidence interval [CI]) for the overall cohort, index 3L+ group, and rapid progressors was 23.1 (19.7, 27.5), 27.6 (22.7, 31.3), and 18.6 (14.3, 23.0) months, respectively. Median rwPFS (95% CI) for the overall cohort, index 3L+ group, and rapid progressors was 5.1 (4.8, 5.7), 5.2 (4.7, 6.0), and 5.6 (4.6, 6.3) months, respectively.Conclusions
These real-world data suggest limited long-term efficacy of chemotherapy-based treatments for patients with ET-resistant HER2-low, HR-positive mBC, emphasizing high unmet need in this population.
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BibTeX
@article{jacot2026chemotherapy,
title = {{Chemotherapy outcomes in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-low, hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer: Insights from the French multicenter ESME database.}},
author = {William Jacot and Pauline Macouillard and Suyuan Zhang and Danalyn Byng and Shannon Hunter and Vincent Massard and Jean-Sébastien Frenel and David Pérol and Etienne Brain and Audrey Mailliez and Thomas Bachelot and Monica Arnedos and Lise Bosquet and Véronique Diéras},
journal = {Breast (Edinburgh, Scotland)},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1016/j.breast.2026.104933},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42880094},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Chemotherapy outcomes in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-low, hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer: Insights from the French multicenter ESME database.
AU - William Jacot
AU - Pauline Macouillard
AU - Suyuan Zhang
AU - Danalyn Byng
AU - Shannon Hunter
AU - Vincent Massard
AU - Jean-Sébastien Frenel
AU - David Pérol
AU - Etienne Brain
AU - Audrey Mailliez
AU - Thomas Bachelot
AU - Monica Arnedos
AU - Lise Bosquet
AU - Véronique Diéras
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/27
JO - Breast (Edinburgh, Scotland)
DO - 10.1016/j.breast.2026.104933
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42880094
AB - Background The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted therapy trastuzumab deruxtecan has demonstrated significantly improved efficacy versus chemotherapy in HER2-low or -ultralow, hormone receptor (HR)-positive metastatic breast cancer (mBC) following endocrine therapy (ET). This study describes current real-world characteristics and outcomes for this population in France to inform optimized treatment sequencing, including the potential benefits of novel treatments.Methods Data were obtained from the Unicancer Epidemiological Strategy and Medical Economics (ESME) MBC database of adult patients with mBC. Patients were diagnosed with HER2-low, HR-positive mBC between 2008 and 2022 and initiated a chemotherapy-based regimen (index line of therapy [LOT]) after ≥1 qualifying line of ET. Real-world overall survival (rwOS) and progression-free survival (rwPFS) were assessed from the start of index LOT.Results Among 326 patients selected, index LOT was third line (3L) or greater ("index 3L+ group") for 202 (62.0%) patients and second line for 124 (38.0%) patients; 101 (31.0%) patients initiated index LOT after progression within 6 months of first-line ET + cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor ("rapid progressors"). Median rwOS (95% confidence interval [CI]) for the overall cohort, index 3L+ group, and rapid progressors was 23.1 (19.7, 27.5), 27.6 (22.7, 31.3), and 18.6 (14.3, 23.0) months, respectively. Median rwPFS (95% CI) for the overall cohort, index 3L+ group, and rapid progressors was 5.1 (4.8, 5.7), 5.2 (4.7, 6.0), and 5.6 (4.6, 6.3) months, respectively.Conclusions These real-world data suggest limited long-term efficacy of chemotherapy-based treatments for patients with ET-resistant HER2-low, HR-positive mBC, emphasizing high unmet need in this population.
SN - 0960-9776
SN - 1532-3080
ER -