Clinical trial for HER2-positive metastatic colorectal cancer shows promising result

The patient

A 55-year-old woman developed increasing difficulties with constipation and abdominal discomfort over the course of several weeks. She then developed nausea with vomiting. She was found to have an obstructing colon cancer with multiple metastases to the liver and lung. After resection of her primary tumor, she required chemotherapy to treat her metastatic disease.

The patient’s tumor was found to be positive for HER2, a protein that promotes the growth of cancer cells.

The challenge

Targeted therapies directed against the HER2 protein have been used with great success as second-line and third-line treatments for advanced HER2-positive colorectal cancer.

We wanted to offer her the potential benefits of HER-directed therapy as first-line treatment.

The physician

The solution

The patient was accepted into a clinical trial at Norton Cancer Institute, evaluating standard chemotherapy combined with two drugs, Trastuzumab and Tucatinib, targeting HER2.

The result

She began treatment in October 2023 and has had an excellent response to therapy. In addition, she has tolerated the addition of the targeted therapy quite well and continues on treatment as of spring 2024. She continues to work and enjoy a very good quality of life.

About the MOUNTAINEER-03 clinical trial

The phase 3 trial is open at larger cancer centers in the United States and internationally. Criteria include previously untreated patients with HER2-positive advanced colorectal cancer.

The trial compares standard therapy to the combination of chemotherapy with HER2-directed targeted therapy. Norton Cancer Institute is the only cancer center in Louisville or Southern Indiana offering this clinical trial to patients.