Personalizing neoadjuvant breast cancer treatment in real time
Targeted Oncology spoke with Dr. Rebecca Shatsky about ASCO 2024 results. For the immune-positive subtype, the estimated complete response rate with Dato-DXd and durvalumab reached 65% — without standard chemotherapy — demonstrating the trial's potential to de-escalate treatment for the right patients.
At ASCO 2024, researchers from the I-SPY 2.2 trial presented promising results that highlight the potential for more personalized treatment strategies in early-stage breast cancer. In an interview with Targeted Oncology, Dr. Rebecca Shatsky discussed how the trial's adaptive platform is helping identify patients who may benefit from highly targeted therapies while reducing the need for traditional chemotherapy. One of the most significant findings involved patients with the immune-positive subtype, where the combination of Dato-DXd and durvalumab achieved an estimated 65% pathologic complete response (pCR) rate—without the use of standard chemotherapy. These results suggest that carefully selected patients may achieve excellent outcomes through less intensive treatment approaches. The I-SPY 2.2 trial uses advanced molecular profiling and adaptive trial design to match therapies to the unique biology of each patient's tumor. By evaluating treatment response in real time, researchers can quickly identify the most effective therapeutic combinations and move promising drugs through clinical development more efficiently. These findings represent an important step toward de-escalating treatment for patients who are likely to respond well to targeted therapies, reducing unnecessary toxicity while maintaining strong clinical outcomes. As the trial continues, I-SPY 2.2 is helping shape the future of precision oncology by making breast cancer treatment more personalized, effective, and patient-centered.