HER2 targeted therapy in colorectal cancer: New horizons

Ali Abdulnabi Suwaidan; David K Lau; Ian Chau

doi:10.1016/j.ctrv.2022.102363

HER2 targeted therapy in colorectal cancer: New horizons

Cancer Treat Rev. 2022 Apr:105:102363. doi: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2022.102363. Epub 2022 Feb 22.

Authors

Ali Abdulnabi Suwaidan¹, David K Lau¹, Ian Chau²

Affiliations

¹ Gastrointestinal and Lymphoma Unit, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London and Surrey SM2 5PT, United Kingdom.
² Gastrointestinal and Lymphoma Unit, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London and Surrey SM2 5PT, United Kingdom. Electronic address: ian.chau@rmh.nhs.uk.

PMID: 35228040
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2022.102363

Abstract

Despite recent advances in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), 5 years survival rates remain low. Chemotherapy remains as the mainstay of treatment with only few available targeted therapies. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) amplification occurs in approximately 5% of metastatic colorectal cancer and it has been studied as a mechanism of resistance for anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapy. Furthermore, several studies such as HERACLES-A, MyPathway and the DESTINY-CRC01 trials have shown significant clinical benefit of HER2 blockade in patients with HER2 amplified mCRC. In this review, we provide an overview of the clinicopathological features of HER2 amplification and mutations in mCRC. In addition, we review HER2 as a biomarker of intrinsic and acquired anti-EGFR resistance as well as the preclinical, clinical and translational studies investigating the use of HER2 targeted therapies and future studies.

Keywords: Colorectal cancer; HER2; Human epidermal growth factor receptor; Precision medicine; Targeted therapy; ctDNA.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Colorectal Neoplasms* / drug therapy
Colorectal Neoplasms* / genetics
Colorectal Neoplasms* / pathology
Humans
Mutation
Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics

Substances

ERBB2 protein, human
Receptor, ErbB-2