A review of treatments for HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread
Original title: Therapeutics and toxicity management of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive metastatic breast cancer: a narrative review.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This looks across many earlier studies rather than running a new one.
This is a summary of where the science stands, not a new result.
The short version
Doctors looked back at what is known about treating HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread, including when it spreads to the brain.
What was studied. This is a review article. The authors went over the existing evidence on drug treatments for HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread, on cancer that has spread to the brain and spinal cord, and on care for side effects.
What they found. The review says two drugs, trastuzumab and pertuzumab, given with a taxane drug, have been the standard first treatment. It says a drug called trastuzumab deruxtecan, or T-DXd, works better than an older drug called T-DM1, and is now the preferred second treatment. It also says another drug, tucatinib, could help people whose cancer has spread to the brain live longer. Spread to the brain is still a major problem, affecting up to 50% of patients.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: If you have HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread, these drugs are already part of care in many places. Your doctor can tell you which ones fit your situation. The review also points out that care for side effects, such as heart problems, nausea, vomiting, and lung inflammation, matters a lot.
What it doesn't mean: This is not a new study. It is a summary of work other people have already done, so it does not add new results or prove anything on its own. It is also not a cure. The authors say clearly that what to do after T-DXd stops working, and how to handle long-term side effects, are still unsolved problems. These drugs are for HER2-positive breast cancer, not for tumors that start in the brain.
Source: PubMed, February 2, 2026 · Read the original
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