PATINA Clinical Trial
Changing What’s Possible in Metastatic Breast Cancer
BCRC-WA was proud to be part of the PATINA study, which set out to answer a crucial question for people living with ER-positive, HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer: could adding another targeted treatment help keep the disease controlled for longer and improve outcomes in a meaningful way?
PATINA was a large international clinical trial involving 496 patients worldwide, including participants enrolled through BCRC-WA Clinical Trials, and was recently presented at the 2025 ASCO Breast Cancer Symposium.
The study focused on patients whose cancer had not progressed following initial treatment. Researchers evaluated the impact of adding palbociclib to ongoing HER2-targeted therapy (trastuzumab and pertuzumab) alongside endocrine therapy.
The results were significant. Adding palbociclib extended the median progression-free survival by a remarkable 15 months from 29 months to 44 months. Follow-up analysis also showed a reduced risk of the cancer spreading to the brain, an outcome that can profoundly affect both quality and length of life.
This treatment approach addresses a long-standing gap in care. While CDK4/6 inhibitors have transformed outcomes in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, they had not been routinely used in HER2-positive disease until now. The PATINA results are therefore considered practice-changing, with the regimen expected to influence future treatment algorithms as it is compared with other emerging first-line options. Formal inclusion in treatment guidelines is anticipated as evidence continues to mature.
Importantly, while modern therapies can help manage brain metastases once they develop, preventing them remains a critical goal in metastatic breast cancer care. The PATINA findings reinforce the value of palbociclib in this setting and represent a meaningful step forward in improving long-term outcomes for patients.
Above all, the study underscores the vital role of clinical trials and the patients who generously take part in them in driving progress, advancing evidence, and shaping the future of breast cancer treatment.
”I am incredibly proud to share the PATINA study results, a trial that BCRC-WA had participated in- that adding palbociclib to trastuzumab/pertuzumab/ ET maintenance in first line setting for met triple pos bc had improved median PFS by a historical 15 months, from 29 to 44 months. Many thanks to the patients who were part of this trial, contributing to practice-changing evidence.
Dr Louisa LoMedical Oncologist
