5 Topic Commentaries

Precision Diagnostics and the ADC Revolution

Precision Diagnostics and the ADC Revolution

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  Shanu Modi, MD

  Medical Oncology (Breast Cancer)

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  Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

  “Historically, HER2 status has been defined as positive versus negative, but we know that a large proportion of cancers within the HER2-negative classification also express low levels of HER2 – which we commonly refer to as HER2-low breast cancers – and this low level of HER2 may still be targetable. While our currently available HER2-targeted therapies unfortunately have not been effective for patients with HER2-low breast cancer, the efficacy of T-DXd has opened a novel treatment option for this newly defined patient population.”

  Source
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  Qin Sun, PhD

  Clinical Pharmacology; Therapeutic Biologics

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  U.S. Food and Drug Administration

  “Sure, an antibody-drug conjugate (or ADC) is generally composed of a small molecule drug, also known as a payload, and an antibody or antibody fragment, conjugated together by a chemical linker. As such, an ADC has multiple constituent parts. An ADC is designed to target specific cells, such as cancer cells, while minimizing effects on non-targeted cells.”

  Source
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  Adriana Kahn, MD

  Medical Oncology (Breast Cancer)

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  Yale School of Medicine; Yale Cancer Center

  “If genomic alterations that are particular to HER2-low tumors were to be found, this could potentially aid in patient selection for trastuzumab deruxtecan and also for the development of novel agents or combinations of therapies targeting the HER2-low patient population,”

  Source
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  Suman Paul, MBBS, PhD

  Hematologic Oncology

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  Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center

  “The development of TRBC1 and TRBC2 antibodies together now provides a conceptual ‘matched set’ of precision tools for the great majority of patients with T-cell cancers,”

  Source
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  Julian Hong, MD, MS

  Radiation Oncology; Oncology Informatics

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  University of California, San Francisco

  “Accurate HER2 scoring is important to ensure that patients receive the best treatment for their breast cancer. This international study shows that an AI-assisted approach improved HER2 scoring, including in situations that would affect treatment decisions. These findings shed light on the promising role for AI in oncology, not as a replacement for the physician, but as a powerful tool to help us work smarter and faster to deliver high-quality, more personalized care,”

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