What is the relevance of the Destiny Breast 03 trial to a patient with HER2-positive breast cancer who achieved a pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery, currently on trastuzumab (Herceptin) (trastuzumab) plus pertuzumab (Perjeta) (pertuzumab)?

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Destiny Breast 11 Trial - Clarification

I believe you are asking about the DESTINY-Breast trials, which evaluate trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd), not "Destiny Breast 11" specifically. The most relevant trials in this series are DESTINY-Breast01, 03, and 05.

DESTINY-Breast03: The Most Relevant Trial for HER2+ Metastatic Disease

DESTINY-Breast03 demonstrated superior efficacy of trastuzumab deruxtecan over T-DM1 in previously treated HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, establishing T-DXd as a preferred option in this setting 1.

Relevance to Your Patient Scenario (pCR After Neoadjuvant Therapy)

For your patient who achieved pCR after neoadjuvant chemotherapy with trastuzumab-pertuzumab, the DESTINY trials are NOT directly applicable to current management decisions 1, 2.

Current Standard Management for pCR Patients

  • Continue trastuzumab plus pertuzumab to complete 1 year total duration (18 cycles including neoadjuvant period) 2.
  • This recommendation is based on the excellent prognosis associated with pCR and the established benefit of completing dual HER2 blockade 2.
  • For high-risk patients (≥2 cm tumors and/or node-positive at diagnosis), completing the full year of dual blockade is particularly important despite achieving pCR 2.

Where DESTINY Trials Become Relevant

DESTINY-Breast05 (NCT04622319) is the trial that matters for early breast cancer patients 1.

  • This ongoing trial compares trastuzumab deruxtecan versus T-DM1 in patients with residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant therapy 1.
  • This trial does NOT apply to your patient who achieved pCR 1.

Clinical Algorithm for Post-Neoadjuvant HER2+ Breast Cancer

If pCR Achieved (Your Patient's Scenario):

  • Continue trastuzumab-pertuzumab to complete 1 year total 2.
  • No role for T-DM1 or trastuzumab deruxtecan 1, 2.
  • Cardiac monitoring with LVEF assessment remains mandatory 2, 3.

If Residual Disease Present:

  • Switch to T-DM1 for 14 cycles (KATHERINE trial standard) 1, 4.
  • T-DM1 reduces recurrence risk by 50% compared to continuing trastuzumab (HR 0.50,95% CI 0.39-0.64, p<0.001) 4.
  • DESTINY-Breast05 results may change this paradigm in the future if trastuzumab deruxtecan proves superior to T-DM1 1.

Important Caveats

  • Do not confuse metastatic disease trials (DESTINY-Breast01, 03) with early breast cancer management 1.
  • Trastuzumab deruxtecan is currently FDA-approved for metastatic disease after prior anti-HER2 therapy, not for the adjuvant/post-neoadjuvant setting 1.
  • The only scenario where DESTINY trials inform early breast cancer treatment is through the ongoing DESTINY-Breast05 trial for patients with residual disease 1.

Summary of DESTINY Trial Series

  • DESTINY-Breast01: Established T-DXd efficacy in heavily pretreated metastatic HER2+ breast cancer 1.
  • DESTINY-Breast03: Showed T-DXd superiority over T-DM1 in metastatic setting 1.
  • DESTINY-Breast05: Ongoing trial comparing T-DXd versus T-DM1 in early breast cancer with residual disease post-neoadjuvant therapy 1.

For your specific patient with pCR, stick with the proven strategy: complete 1 year of trastuzumab-pertuzumab dual blockade 2.

References

Guideline

Guideline Directed Topic Overview

Dr.Oracle Medical Advisory Board & Editors, 2025

Guideline

Post-Neoadjuvant Therapy for HER2+ Breast Cancer with pCR

Praxis Medical Insights: Practical Summaries of Clinical Guidelines, 2026

Research

Trastuzumab Emtansine for Residual Invasive HER2-Positive Breast Cancer.

The New England journal of medicine, 2019

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Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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