Managing trastuzumab deruxtecan-related adverse events in patients with metastatic breast cancer: insights from a worldwide survey of the Hermione EDUcational project
32 affiliations
- 1Phase 1 Research Centre, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo Dei Tintori, Monza, MB Italy
- 2School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, MB Italy
- 3Genolier Cancer Center, Clinique de Genolier, Genolier, Switzerland
- 4Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
- 5Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (Imas12), Madrid, Spain
- 6Department of Nursing, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
- 7Medical Oncology, Azienda USL-IRCCS Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
- 8Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- 9Medical Oncology Department, Unidade Local de Saúde Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal
- 10Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine, Lisbon, Portugal
- 11Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- 12University Hospital Erlangen, Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
- 13Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, August Pi I Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- 14Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- 15Department of Medical Oncology, Lyon University Hospital, HCL, Lyon, France
- 16Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
- 17Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dublin, Ireland
- 18Department of Pharmacy, Gifu University Hospital, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1194 Japan
- 19Cancer Center, Gifu University Hospital, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1194 Japan
- 20Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, UK
- 21National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- 22City of Hope, Atlanta, GA USA
- 23Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology Oncology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA USA
- 24Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- 25Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA USA
- 26Advanced Cancer Translational Research Institute, Showa Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
- 27Hoch Health Ostschweiz St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- 28University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- 29Cancer Fatigue Clinic (Schaffhausen, Münsterlingen, Sargans), St. Gallen, Switzerland
- 30Facultat de Medicina I Ciencias de La Salut, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
- 31Department of Hematology Oncology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- 32Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
Abstract
Purpose: Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) has shown remarkable efficacy in phase III trials in patients with HER2-positive early- and late-stage breast cancer and HER2-low/ultra-low metastatic breast cancer (mBC). However, toxicities remain prevalent and clinically relevant, leading to dose reductions/interruptions or discontinuation.
Methods: A survey was conducted across oncologists in 13 countries worldwide to collect experiences in managing T-DXd-related toxicities, focusing on nausea/vomiting, fatigue, and interstitial lung disease (ILD) as key areas of clinical concern.
Results: Ninety-nine experts participated in the survey. Nausea and fatigue were the most common toxicities, reported by 91.9% and 94.9% of respondents, respectively. 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, NK1 receptor antagonists, and corticosteroids were “very often” prescribed for prophylaxis. The frequency of use of second‑generation 5‑HT3 receptor antagonists varied among respondents. Most frequently, they employed an NK1 receptor antagonist combined with corticosteroids and 5‑HT3 receptor antagonists. Forty-four percent of respondents prescribed 4‑drug regimens incorporating NK1 receptor antagonists and olanzapine to all patients with nausea/vomiting above grade 1 in the first cycle, 35% reserved them for high‑risk patients, and 21% used them for all patients from cycle one. For all respondents, patients receiving T‑DXd experienced fatigue, with 65% observing it in more than 60% of patients, and most considered nausea/vomiting and fatigue to moderately or significantly affect daily activities and quality of life. ILD was reported as rare or occasional and was generally monitored using computed tomography.
Conclusion: Real-life management of T-DXd-related toxicities is complex and needs an ongoing comprehensive evaluation of patients before, during and after therapy, with a highly trained/skilled multidisciplinary team.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-026-11393-4.
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BibTeX
@article{cazzaniga2026managing,
title = {{Managing trastuzumab deruxtecan-related adverse events in patients with metastatic breast cancer: insights from a worldwide survey of the Hermione EDUcational project}},
author = {Marina Elena Cazzaniga and Matti Aapro and Manuel Alva Bianchi and Andreas Charalambous and Laura Cortesi and Luis Costa and Peter Fashing and Ana Belen Rodriguez Garcia and Freyer Gilles and Bryan Hennessy and Hirotoshi Iihara and Maria Lapuente and Fei Ma and Irati Rodriguez Matesanz and Kelly Elizabeth McCann and Yeon Hee Park and Hope S. Rugo and Hitomi Sakai and Florian Strasser and Benjamin Walbaum and Shusen Wang},
journal = {Supportive Care in Cancer},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1007/s00520-026-11393-4},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-026-11393-4},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Managing trastuzumab deruxtecan-related adverse events in patients with metastatic breast cancer: insights from a worldwide survey of the Hermione EDUcational project
AU - Marina Elena Cazzaniga
AU - Matti Aapro
AU - Manuel Alva Bianchi
AU - Andreas Charalambous
AU - Laura Cortesi
AU - Luis Costa
AU - Peter Fashing
AU - Ana Belen Rodriguez Garcia
AU - Freyer Gilles
AU - Bryan Hennessy
AU - Hirotoshi Iihara
AU - Maria Lapuente
AU - Fei Ma
AU - Irati Rodriguez Matesanz
AU - Kelly Elizabeth McCann
AU - Yeon Hee Park
AU - Hope S. Rugo
AU - Hitomi Sakai
AU - Florian Strasser
AU - Benjamin Walbaum
AU - Shusen Wang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/31
JO - Supportive Care in Cancer
DO - 10.1007/s00520-026-11393-4
UR - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-026-11393-4
AB - Purpose: Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) has shown remarkable efficacy in phase III trials in patients with HER2-positive early- and late-stage breast cancer and HER2-low/ultra-low metastatic breast cancer (mBC). However, toxicities remain prevalent and clinically relevant, leading to dose reductions/interruptions or discontinuation. Methods: A survey was conducted across oncologists in 13 countries worldwide to collect experiences in managing T-DXd-related toxicities, focusing on nausea/vomiting, fatigue, and interstitial lung disease (ILD) as key areas of clinical concern. Results: Ninety-nine experts participated in the survey. Nausea and fatigue were the most common toxicities, reported by 91.9% and 94.9% of respondents, respectively. 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, NK1 receptor antagonists, and corticosteroids were “very often” prescribed for prophylaxis. The frequency of use of second‑generation 5‑HT3 receptor antagonists varied among respondents. Most frequently, they employed an NK1 receptor antagonist combined with corticosteroids and 5‑HT3 receptor antagonists. Forty-four percent of respondents prescribed 4‑drug regimens incorporating NK1 receptor antagonists and olanzapine to all patients with nausea/vomiting above grade 1 in the first cycle, 35% reserved them for high‑risk patients, and 21% used them for all patients from cycle one. For all respondents, patients receiving T‑DXd experienced fatigue, with 65% observing it in more than 60% of patients, and most considered nausea/vomiting and fatigue to moderately or significantly affect daily activities and quality of life. ILD was reported as rare or occasional and was generally monitored using computed tomography. Conclusion: Real-life management of T-DXd-related toxicities is complex and needs an ongoing comprehensive evaluation of patients before, during and after therapy, with a highly trained/skilled multidisciplinary team. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-026-11393-4.
SN - 0941-4355
SN - 1433-7339
ER -