Trial reportESMO open2020
Pertuzumab and trastuzumab emtansine in patients with HER2-amplified metastatic colorectal cancer: the phase II HERACLES-B trial.
Trial report in ESMO open, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 98 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Open-Label, Phase II Study of Trastuzumab in Combination With Lapatinib (Cohort A) or Pertuzumab in Combination With Trastuzumab-emtansine (Cohort B) in Patients With HER2-positive Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: the HERACLES (HER2 Amplification for Colo-rectaL Cancer Enhanced Stratification)Trial
A Single Arm, Open Label, Multiple Center, Prospective Study of Disitamab Vedotin Combined With Tislelizumab in HER2 Positive Advanced Colorectal Cancer Failed at Least Two Lines of Systemic Treatment.
Who cites it
98 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 176 citations in OpenAlex.
- Anti-Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 therapies in metastatic colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.The oncologist · 2026Pooled it
- Systematic literature review and meta-analysis of HER2 amplification, overexpression, and positivity in colorectal cancer.JNCI cancer spectrum · 2024Pooled it
- A Meta-Analysis to Assess the Efficacy of HER2-Targeted Treatment Regimens in HER2-Positive Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC).Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2023Pooled it
- Pyrotinib Plus Trastuzumab as an Effective Later-Line Therapeutic Strategy for HER2-Positive Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Results from a Phase II Study.Drug design, development and therapy · 2025Trial
- HER2-related biomarkers predict clinical outcomes with trastuzumab deruxtecan treatment in patients with HER2-expressing metastatic colorectal cancer: biomarker analyses of DESTINY-CRC01.Nature communications · 2024Trial
- Trial
- HER2-Targeted Therapy for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Current Evidence, Patient Selection, and Practical Treatment Sequencing.Journal of gastrointestinal cancer · 2026Review
- Rechallenge With Anti-Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Therapy Guided by Liquid Biopsy inJCO precision oncology · 2026Article
- WEE1 kinase inhibition to overcome acquired resistance to targeted therapies in colorectal cancer.EMBO molecular medicine · 2026Article
- EGFR Signaling in Colorectal Cancer: Novel Therapeutic Strategies, Predictive Biomarkers, and Counteracting Treatment Resistance.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Article
- Advances in Targeting HER2 across Cancer Subtypes: A Pan-Tumor Approach.Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research · 2026Review
- Comprehensive Landscape of Diagnostic, Prognostic and Predictive Biomarkers in Colorectal Cancer: From Genomics to Multi-Omics Integration in Precision Medicine.Journal of personalized medicine · 2026Review
- Review
- Unlocking HER2 as a target in KRAS-mutated rectal cancer: a case of significant response to zanidatamab-based regimen.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
- Antibody-drug conjugates in colorectal cancer: advances in targeted delivery and personalized oncology.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2026Review
- Review
- HER2-targeted therapy in colorectal cancer: a comprehensive review.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2025Review
- Radical treatment for metastasis of HER2-positive rectal adenocarcinoma to the liver: A case report and literature review.Oncology letters · 2025Article
- Advancements in Targeted Therapies for Colorectal Cancer: Overcoming Challenges and Exploring Future Directions.Cancers · 2025Review
38 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
25 authors at 8 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundHER2 is a therapeutic target for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), as demonstrated in the pivotal HERACLES-A (HER2 Amplification for Colo-rectaL cancer Enhanced Stratification) trial with trastuzumab and lapatinib. The aim of HERACLES-B trial is to assess the efficacy of the combination of pertuzumab and trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) in this setting.
methodsHERACLES-B was a single-arm, phase II trial, in patients with histologically confirmed
resultsThirty-one patients, 48% with ≥4 lines of previous therapies, were treated and evaluable. ORR was 9.7% (95% CI: 0 to 28) and stable disease (SD) 67.7% (95% CI: 50 to 85). OR/SD ≥4 months was associated with higher HER2 immunohistochemistry score (3+ vs 2+) (p = 0.03). Median PFS was 4.1 months (95% CI: 3.6 to 5.9). Drug-related grade (G) 3 adverse events were observed in two patients (thrombocytopaenia); G≤2 AE in 84% of cycles (n = 296), mainly nausea and fatigue.
conclusionsHERACLES-B trial did not reach its primary end point of ORR; however, based on high disease control, PFS similar to other anti-HER2 regimens, and low toxicity, pertuzumab in combination with T-DM1 can be considered for HER2+mCRC as a potential therapeutic resource. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: 2012-002128-33 and NCT03225937.
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Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.