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Safety of Continuing HER-2 Directed Therapy in Overt Left Ventricular Dysfunction

Safety of Continuing HER-2 Directed Therapy in Overt Left Ventricular Dysfunction: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04680442
Acronym
SCHOLAR-2
Enrollment
130
Registered
2020-12-23
Start date
2021-07-01
Completion date
2026-06-30
Last updated
2025-04-06

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Breast Cancer, Heart Failure

Brief summary

Trastuzumab is an important treatment for HER 2 positive breast cancer. But trastuzumab can cause injury to the heart, and this is one of the main reasons it cannot be administered as planned. Heart injury can often be successfully treated using cardiac medications. The objectives of SCHOLAR-2 are to evaluate whether is it safe and effective to continue trastuzumab, pertuzumab or trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) in patients with early stage HER-2 positive breast cancer despite mild, minimally symptomatic or asymptomatic systolic left ventricular dysfunction as compared with a guideline-driven approach of withholding or discontinuing trastuzumab, pertuzumab or trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1). In SCHOLAR-2, we will compare two thresholds of withholding or discontinuing trastuzumab/pertuzumab/trastuzumab-emtansine: a threshold that is currently advocated for by existing treatment practice guidelines versus a more aggressive threshold that allows trastuzumab/pertuzumab/trastuzumab-emtansine to continue at lower levels of LVEF than currently supported by guideline documents.

Detailed description

SCHOLAR-2 is a Phase II open-label randomized controlled trial with blinded outcome event ascertainment with a target sample size of 130. Control Group Recommendations for continuing or holding trastuzumab, pertuzumab, or trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) for the control group are guided by an adaptation of the 2008 Canadian recommendations. Intervention Group The intervention group will continue to receive trastuzumab, pertuzumab, or trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) in the setting of asymptomatic decline in LVEF up to an LVEF of 40% as outlined in the criteria listed in Table 3. For reasons of practicality, in the intervention group, the first dose of trastuzumab, pertuzumab, or trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) after randomization can be administered up to 3 weeks late. This will allow time for the participant to be reviewed by a cardiologist and to receive ACE-I/angiotensin receptor blocker and/or beta-blocker, and for dose titration. Study assessments will occur: 1. 3 weeks after randomization 2. 6 weeks after randomization 3. Follow-up at every 3 months thereafter until 12 months after the last dose of trastuzumab, pertuzumab, or trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1)

Interventions

DRUGTrastuzumab

Trastuzumab is a HER-2 targeting monoclonal antibody that improves overall survival and reduces the risk of recurrent disease in early stage HER-2 positive breast cancer.

DRUGPertuzumab

Pertuzumab (also called 2C4, trade name Perjeta) is a monoclonal antibody used in combination with trastuzumab and docetaxel for the treatment of metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer; it also used in the same combination as a neoadjuvant in early HER2-positive breast cancer

DRUGTrastuzumab emtansine

Ado-trastuzumab emtansine is approved to treat: Breast cancer that is HER2 positive and has already been treated with a taxane and trastuzumab.

Sponsors

Population Health Research Institute
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Stage I-III HER-2 positive breast cancer 2. Receiving adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy with trastuzumab, pertuzumab, or trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) 3. Evidence of left ventricular dysfunction, as defined by at least one of: a) LVEF \< 54% or b) LVEF ≥54% and either i) fall in LVEF of ≥15% from prior to trastuzumab, pertuzumab, or trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) exposure, or ii) New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II heart failure symptoms within the past 6 months

Exclusion criteria

1. Current use of both angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) /angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) and beta-blocker 2. Contra-indication to both ACE-I/ARB and beta-blockers 3. NYHA class III or IV heart failure 4. LVEF \<40% 5. Systolic blood pressure \<100mmHg 6. Current or planned pregnancy or breastfeeding

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
primary efficacy outcomeone yearthe proportion of participants completing trastuzumab, pertuzumab, or trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) as planned at its initiation
co-primary safety outcomesone year1. LVEF at the close-out visit, and 2. The composite of NYHA class III or IV heart failure or cardiovascular death.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
secondary outcome measures the composite of NYHA class III or IV heart failure, breast cancer relapse, or all-cause mortality.one yearthe composite of NYHA class III or IV heart failure, breast cancer relapse, or all-cause mortality.

Countries

Brazil, Canada, Russia

Contacts

Primary ContactMaha Mushtaha, BSc
maha.mushtaha@phri.ca9052973479
Backup ContactSumathy Rangarajan, MSc
sumathy.rangarajan@phri.ca9052973479

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026