A phase II trial found that for patients with HER2+ metastatic colorectal cancer, dual HER2-inhibitor therapy can be a similarly efficacious but less toxic alternative to EGFR inhibitor therapy. Exploratory analysis suggests greater HER2 amplification in a tumor may be associated with greater clinical benefit of dual HER2 inhibitor vs EGFR inhibitor therapy.
In modern oncology, important insights from clinical trials often emerge years after initial publication. As new therapies extend survival and transition more patients into long-term remissions, clinicians and researchers are increasingly looking beyond initial response rates to understand durability, long-term safety, and even the possibility of a cure.
