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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Alone or in Combination With Anastrozole for the Treatment of Early Stage HER2 Low, Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Cancer

A Phase II, Multicenter, Open-Label Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Trastuzumab Deruxtecan (DS-8201a) With or Without Anastrozole for HER2 Low Hormone Receptor Positive (HR+) Breast Cancer in the Neoadjuvant Setting

Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Alone or in Combination With Anastrozole for the Treatment of Early Stage HER2 Low, Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Cancer (NCT04553770) is a Phase 2 interventional studying Early-stage Breast Cancer and Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Carcinoma, sponsored by Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

This phase II trial investigates how well trastuzumab deruxtecan works alone or in combination with anastrozole in treating patients with HER2 low, hormone receptor positive breast cancer. Trastuzumab deruxtecan is a monoclonal antibody, called trastuzumab, linked to a chemotherapy drug called deruxtecan. Trastuzumab attaches to HER2 expressed at low levels on cancer cells in a targeted way and delivers deruxtecan to kill them. Anastrozole works by decreasing estrogen production and suppressing the growth of tumors that need estrogen to grow. This study is evaluating how effective trastuzumab deruxtecan is at treating hormone receptor positive cancer cells that have low levels of HER2 expressed on them when given alone or in combination with anastrozole.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether a treatment actually works against Early-stage Breast Cancer and continue monitoring side effects. Phase 2 enrolls larger groups (typically 100–300 patients) and produces the first real efficacy signal. A successful Phase 2 readout is what unlocks the much larger Phase 3 confirmatory trials needed for FDA approval.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

Target enrollment of 88 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Early-stage Breast Cancer subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: - Previously untreated operable invasive carcinoma of the breast greater than 2.0 cm (cT2) in size based on physical exam or imaging. Patients with clinical node negative disease or clinical node (cN1/cN2) positive are allowed provided they are deemed to have operable disease at study entry - Participants with clinically involved lymph nodes should not have radiological evidence of distant disease per standard of care staging prior to patient willing to sign a consent form form (PICF) signature - In the United States - Tumor is HER2-low by immunohistochemistry (IHC), defined as 1+ or 2+, confirmed by central testing (central testing results not required for enrollment, unless no local results available). If HER2 is 2+ by IHC, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) must be performed (per standard of care) and the FISH result must be HER2 non-amplified per 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology College of American Pathologists (ASCO CAP) guidelines - Tumor is HR positive (HR+) per ASCO CAP guidelines with known estrogen and progesterone receptor status, locally defined - Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1 - Normal cardiac function (left ventricular ejection fraction \[LVEF\] \>= 50%) based on echocardiogram (ECHO) or multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan within 28 days before randomization/enrollment - Platelet count \>= 100 000/mm\^3 (Platelet transfusion is not allowed within 1 week prior to screening assessment) (within 14 days before randomization/enrollment) - Hemoglobin \>= 9.0 g/dL (red blood cell transfusion is not allowed within 1 week prior to screening assessment) (within 14 days before randomization/enrollment) - Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>=1500/mm\^3 (Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration is not allowed within 1 week prior to screening assessment) (within 14 days before randomization/enrollment) ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion Criteria: * Previously untreated operable invasive carcinoma of the breast greater than 2.0 cm (cT2) in size based on physical exam or imaging. Patients with clinical node negative disease or clinical node (cN1/cN2) positive are allowed provided they are deemed to have operable disease at study entry * Participants with clinically involved lymph nodes should not have radiological evidence of distant disease per standard of care staging prior to patient informed consent form (PICF) signature * In the United States * Tumor is HER2-low by immunohistochemistry (IHC), defined as 1+ or 2+, confirmed by central testing (central testing results not required for enrollment, unless no local results available). If HER2 is 2+ by IHC, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) must be performed (per standard of care) and the FISH result must be HER2 non-amplified per 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology College of American Pathologists (ASCO CAP) guidelines * Tumor is HR positive (HR+) per ASCO CAP guidelines with known estrogen and progesterone receptor status, locally defined * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1 * Normal cardiac function (left ventricular ejection fraction \[LVEF\] \>= 50%) based on echocardiogram (ECHO) or multigated acquisition (MUGA) scan within 28 days before randomization/enrollment * Platelet count \>= 100 000/mm\^3 (Platelet transfusion is not allowed within 1 week prior to screening assessment) (within 14 days before randomization/enrollment) * Hemoglobin \>= 9.0 g/dL (red blood cell transfusion is not allowed within 1 week prior to screening assessment) (within 14 days before randomization/enrollment) * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>=1500/mm\^3 (Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration is not allowed within 1 week prior to screening assessment) (within 14 days before randomization/enrollment) * Creatinine clearance \>= 30 mL/min as calculated using the Cockcroft-Gault equation or serum creatinine =\< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) (within 14 days before randomization/enrollment) * Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) =\< 3 x ULN (within 14 days before randomization/enrollment) * Total bilirubin =\< 1.5 x ULN (within 14 days of randomization/enrollment). Participants with Gilbert's syndrome with a total bilirubin =\< 2.0 times ULN and direct bilirubin within normal limits are permitted * Serum albumin \>= 2.5 g/dL (within 14 days before randomization/enrollment) * International normalized ratio (INR)/prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) =\< 1.5 x ULN (within 14 days before randomization/enrollment) * Has adequate treatment washout period before randomization/enrollment, defined as: * Major surgery \>= 4 weeks * Chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine \> 14 days * Negative pregnancy test (serum) for women of child bearing potential (CBP): * Women are considered of CBP unless: they have had 12 months of natural (spontaneous) amenorrhea with an appropriate clinical profile (i.e. age appropriate, history of vasomotor symptoms) or have had surgical bilateral oophorectomy (with or without hysterectomy), total hysterectomy, or tubal ligation at least six weeks prior to randomization. In the case of oophorectomy alone, only when the reproductive status of the woman has been confirmed by follow-up hormone level assessment she is considered not of CBP * Male and female participants of reproductive/childbearing potential must agree to use a highly effective form of contraception or avoid intercourse during and upon completion of the study and for at least 7 months for females and 4 months for males after the last dose of study drug. Highly effective contraception methods include: * Total abstinence (when this is in line with the preferred and usual lifestyle of the patient). Periodic abstinence (e.g. calendar, ovulation, symptothermal, post-ovulation methods) and withdrawal are not acceptable methods of contraception * Female sterilization (have had surgical bilateral oophorectomy with or without hysterectomy), total hysterectomy or tubal ligation at least 6 weeks before taking trial treatment. In case of oophorectomy alone, only when the reproductive status of the woman has been confirmed by follow up hormone level assessment * Male partner sterilization (at least 6 months prior to randomization). For female patients on the trial the vasectomized male partner should be the sole partner for that patient. If vasectomy of the male partner is the highly effective method of contraception chosen, the success of the vasectomy should be medically confirmed according to local practice * Placement of an intrauterine device (IUD) * Male participants must not freeze or donate sperm starting at screening and throughout the study period, and at least 4 months after the final study drug administration. Preservation of sperm should be considered prior to enrollment in this study * Female participants must not donate, or retrieve for their own use, ova from the time of screening and throughout the study treatment period, and for at least 7 months after the final study drug administration * Estradiol level must be in post-menopausal range per local lab interpretation prior to baseline biopsy * Postmenopausal status is defined as: * Patient underwent bilateral oophorectomy, or * Age \>= 60 years, or * Age \< 60 years and amenorrhea for 12 or more months (in the absence of chemotherapy, tamoxifen, toremifene or ovarian suppression) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and plasma estradiol are in the postmenopausal ranges per local normal ranges * Note: for women with therapy-induced amenorrhea, serial measurements of FSH and/or estradiol per local clinical guidelines are required for determination of postmenopausal status. All women who do not meet the criteria for postmenopausal status are considered premenopausal for the purpose of this trial * Pre- or peri-menopausal and amenable to being treated with ovarian function suppression drugs (goserelin, leuprolide, or triptorelin) per standard of care. Patients must have started treatment with ovarian function suppression at least 28 days prior to first dose of study treatment Exclusion Criteria: * Recurrent or metastatic breast cancer * Bilateral breast cancer (multifocal or multicentric breast cancer is allowed provided that all biopsied lesions are HER2 1+ or 2+, not FISH amplified and are HR positive per ASCO guidelines) * Inflammatory breast cancer * Prior systemic therapy for invasive cancer * Prior tamoxifen for history of ductal breast carcinoma in situ (DCIS) allowed, but no prior aromatase inhibitor, no prior chemotherapy and no prior HER2-targeted therapy * Prior ipsilateral chest wall radiation * Major surgery \< 4 weeks prior to enrollment * Medical history of myocardial infarction within 6 months before randomization/enrollment, symptomatic congestive heart failure (CHF) (New York Heart Association Class II to IV), troponin levels consistent with myocardial infarction as defined according to the manufacturer 28 days prior to randomization * Unable to swallow oral medications * Is pregnant or lactating, or planning to become pregnant * Corrected QT interval prolongation to \> 470 ms (females) or \> 450 ms (males) based on average of the screening triplicate 12-lead electrocardiogram * Known hypercoaguable disorder requiring use of anticoagulant * Significant gastrointestinal disorders limiting absorption or tolerance of oral medications (for example, history of major surgical resection involving the stomach or small bowel, or preexisting Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis or a preexisting chronic condition resulting in baseline grade 2 or higher diarrhea) * History of (non-infectious) interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis that required steroids, has current ILD/pneumonitis, or where suspected ILD/pneumonitis cannot be ruled out by imaging at screening * Has multiple primary malignancies within 3 years, except: * Adequately resected non-melanoma skin cancer * Curatively treated non breast in-situ disease, and other solid non-breast tumors curatively treated are allowed if \> 3 years from diagnosis and no evidence of recurrence in that time * Prior history of DCIS is allowed as long as patient has not received an aromatase inhibitor, has not received ipsilateral breast/chest radiation * Prior history of contralateral invasive breast cancer (diagnosed by biopsy \> 2 years prior to current diagnosis) is allowed provided patient has not received prior aromatase inhibitor, CDK4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i), HER2-targeted therapy or chemotherapy and has not experienced any recurrence and has no evidence of recurrence (based on standard clinical evaluation) * Other concurrent anti-cancer therapy. Note: ovarian function suppression drugs (goserelin, leuprolide, or triptorelin) and/or bone modifying agents (bisphosphonates, denosumab) do not count as anti-cancer therapy for this criteria. If taking bisphosphonates or denosumab, must have been on these agents prior to signing consent * Has substance abuse or any other medical conditions such as clinically significant cardiac or psychological conditions, that may, in the opinion of the investigator, interfere with the subject's participation in the clinical study or evaluation of the clinical study results * Has known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, or active hepatitis B or C infection. Patients positive for hepatitis C (HCV) antibody are eligible only if polymerase chain reaction is negative for HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA). Subjects should be tested for HIV prior to randomization/enrollment if required by local regulations or Institutional Review Board (IRB)/ethics committee (EC) * Have personal history within the last 12 months of any of the following conditions: syncope of cardiovascular etiology, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, or sudden cardiac arrest * Have received an autologous or allogeneic stem-cell transplant * Has active systemic bacterial infection (requiring intravenous \[IV\] antibiotics at time of initiating study treatment), fungal infection, or detectable viral infection (such as known human immunodeficiency virus positivity or with known active hepatitis B or C \[for example, hepatitis B surface antigen positive\]). Screening is not required for enrollment * Concurrent treatment with ovarian hormonal replacement therapy. Prior treatment must be stopped prior to first baseline biopsy * Has history of severe hypersensitivity reactions to other monoclonal antibodies and/or to either the drug substances or inactive ingredients in the drug product * Clinically severe pulmonary compromise resulting from intercurrent pulmonary illnesses including, but not limited to, any underlying pulmonary disorder (i.e. pulmonary emboli within three months of the study enrollment, severe asthma, severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease \[COPD\], restrictive lung disease, pleural effusion etc.), and any autoimmune, connective tissue or inflammatory disorders with pulmonary involvement (i.e. rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's, sarcoidosis etc.), or prior pneumonectomy * Life expectancy \< 3 months

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Anastrozole

Given PO

PROCEDURE

Therapeutic Conventional Surgery

Undergo surgery

BIOLOGICAL

Trastuzumab Deruxtecan

Given IV

Locations (9)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

St. Joseph Heritage Healthcare
Fullerton, California, United States
Cancer Blood and Specialty Clinic
Los Alamitos, California, United States
UCLA / Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
Los Angeles, California, United States
Torrance Memorial Physician Network / Cancer Care
Torrance, California, United States
PIH Health
Whittier, California, United States
Orlando Health, Inc. d/b/a Orlando Health UF Health Center
Orlando, Florida, United States
Ft. Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology, Inc.
Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States
Cancer Center of Kansas
Wichita, Kansas, United States
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT04553770), the sponsor (Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT04553770 clinical trial studying?

This phase II trial investigates how well trastuzumab deruxtecan works alone or in combination with anastrozole in treating patients with HER2 low, hormone receptor positive breast cancer. Trastuzumab deruxtecan is a monoclonal antibody, called trastuzumab, linked to a chemotherapy drug called deruxtecan. Trastuzumab attaches to HER2 expressed at low levels on cancer cells in a targeted way and delivers deruxtecan to kill them. Anastrozole works by decreasing estrogen production and suppressing the growth of tumors that need estrogen to grow. This study is evaluating how effective trastuzumab … The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT04553770?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT04553770?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT04553770. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT04553770. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.