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How would you manage new symptomatic brain metastases (10-15) in a young woman with HER2+ metastatic breast cancer?

Controlled extracranial disease on trastuzumab+pertuzumab for 2 years. Treatment options include switching systemic rx (T-Dxd, tucatinib) or WBRT. Not a candidate for SRS or neurosurgery.
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What is your preferred approach for symptomatic multifocal brain mets not amenable to SRS/surgery in a young woman with HER2+ breast cancer with stable extracranial disease on HP?

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3 Answers
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Radiation Oncology · Tennessee Oncology
Answered on · Updated on

A lot of nuance to answering this on a per-patient basis.

First question, how symptomatic? (As in, are there bulky mets that we should be considering surgical management upfront plus this also guides my discussion about whole brain vs systemic)

If not acutely symptomatic and requiring a crani/resectio...

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Medical Oncology · Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Answered on

In a young woman with HER2+ metastatic breast cancer and new symptomatic brain metastases (10-15 lesions not candidate for SRS), with controlled extracranial disease on trastuzumab and pertuzumab, the treatment strategy should prioritize CNS control quickly. If she is truly symptomatic and symptoms ...

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Medical Oncology · OHSU, Knight Cancer Institute
Answered on

I would certainly change systemic therapy to tucatinib or T-Dxd because it’s clear that disease progression is happening, and it is in CNS in this case. It is not yet clear that systemic disease is independent of CNS disease. Depending on symptoms and localization of lesions in the brain, if immedia...

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