Can a targeted drug help breast cancer patients with 'invisible' HER2?

NCT ID NCT01975142

Completed Disease control Sponsor: Institut Curie Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study looked at 155 people with metastatic breast cancer whose original tumors were HER2-negative. Researchers checked their blood for HER2-positive cancer cells. Those who had them received the drug T-DM1, which delivers chemotherapy directly to HER2-positive cells. The goal was to see if the tumors would shrink.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a treatment option for people with metastatic breast cancer whose tumors test HER2-negative but have HER2-positive cells in their blood.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial with no comparison group, so results may not apply widely. T-DM1 can cause side effects like liver damage and low blood cell counts.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

breast carcinoma breast neoplasm Her2-receptor negative breast cancer

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

METASTATIC BREAST CANCER, HER2 NEGATIVE PRIMARY TUMOR

Contacts and locations

Locations

Centre Catherine de Sienne

Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, 54519, France
Centre Oscar Lambret

Lille, 59020, France
Centre Val d'Aurelle - P. Lamarque

Montpellier, 34298, France
Chu Saint-Louis

Paris, 75475, France
Chu de Limoges

Limoges, 87042, France
Clinique Victor Hugo

Le Mans, 72000, France
Institut Curie

Paris, 75005, France
Institut Curie - Hôpital René HUGENIN

Saint-Cloud, SAINT-CLOUD, France
Institut de Cancérologie HARTMANN

Levallois-Perret, 92309, France
Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine

Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, 54519, France

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