6 months versus 12 months of HER2-targeted therapy after a complete response to preoperative chemo for early HER2+ breast cancer
Official title: ShortStop-HER2: Shortened Duration of Adjuvant Therapy in Patients With Early-Stage HER2+ Breast Cancer Who Achieve pCR After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy With HER2 Blockade
Run by Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology · NCT06876714 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This tests whether 6 months of HER2-targeted therapy works as well as 12 months for people with early HER2+ breast cancer who had a pathologic complete response after preoperative chemotherapy with trastuzumab.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 3 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 1524 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | trastuzumab, pertuzumab, chemotherapy, radiation |
| Locations | 702 sites (Phoenix, Arizona and 701 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 17, 2025 |
| Main results expected | March 13, 2028 |
| Study ends | March 13, 2037 |
| Registry record updated | October 2, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06876714 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
People (women and men) with early-stage (clinical T1c–T3, N0–N1 except T3N1) HER2-positive breast cancer who had no residual invasive disease (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy that included trastuzumab and who have known hormone receptor status are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with residual invasive disease after surgery (including residual node-positive disease or T3N1 tumors), HER2-negative tumors, or those who did not receive trastuzumab-based neoadjuvant therapy are unlikely to qualify or benefit from this comparison.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This Phase 3 randomized trial enrolls patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer who achieved a pathologic complete response (no residual invasive disease) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy that included trastuzumab. Participants are randomized to receive either 6 months or 12 months of combined HER2-targeted therapy (trastuzumab with or without pertuzumab) in the neo/adjuvant setting. The co-primary endpoints are non-inferiority for recurrence-free survival and comparison of quality of life (FACT-B) at 12 months, with additional safety and subgroup analyses including cardiac monitoring by echocardiography or MUGA. Secondary outcomes include overall survival, rates of grade 3+ adverse events, locoregional and CNS recurrence, and RFS in key subgroups by stage and hormone receptor status.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If 6 months is non-inferior, patients could have shorter treatment with fewer side effects, lower cost, and similar cancer control.
How similar studies have gone: Prior adjuvant duration trials have produced mixed results—some (like PERSEPHONE) supported shorter trastuzumab durations in selected populations, but de-escalation specifically after pCR following neoadjuvant therapy remains relatively under-studied.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients (females and males) with clinical stage T1c-T3 (or Tx) and nodal stage N0-N1 (except T3N1 tumors, which are not eligible) * Patients must have no residual invasive disease in the breast or lymph nodes after the completion of neoadjuvant therapy. Residual ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is allowed. Patients with residual isolated tumor cells at surgery are considered node-positive and are not eligible * HER2+ by American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)/College of American Pathologists (CAP) guidelines. Central pathology review is not required. In cases where there were multiple tumor sites in breast/nodes that had HER2 testing at diagnosis, at least one site must have been HER2+ AND the treating investigator must feel it is in the patient's best interest to be treated as having HER2+ breast cancer * Known hormone receptor status as defined by ASCO/CAP guidelines. Estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) of any values are allowed. Hormone receptor positive status can be determined by either known positive ER or known positive PR status; hormone receptor negative status must be determined by both known negative ER and known negative PR * If invasive disease was present in both breasts, participation in the study is permitted as long as the eligibility criteria are met for both tumors/breasts (including the requirement that at least one biopsied site on each side must have been HER2+) * Age ≥ 18 years * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-2 * Patients must have received neoadjuvant chemotherapy in combination with trastuzumab with or without pertuzumab for a minimum of 12 weeks. All chemotherapy must have been completed preoperatively * Patient must complete a minimum of 12 weeks of coverage with trastuzumab and a maximum of 24 weeks in the combined neoadjuvant and adjuvant setting prior to trial registration. Trastuzumab may have been administered either weekly or once every 3 weeks (q3weeks). (For purposes of this eligibility criterion, a single dose of q3week trastuzumab would provide 3 weeks of coverage; a single dose of once a week (q1week) trastuzumab would provide 1 week of coverage. If a q3week dose of trastuzumab were administered and then the subsequent dose was delayed for any period of time, that would still count as 3 weeks of coverage.) * Administration of endocrine therapy for treatment of this breast cancer is allowed prior to trial registration. If a patient received prior breast cancer endocrine therapy (eg tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitor) for DCIS or preventive indication, and endocrine therapy is indicated for treatment of their current breast cancer, then prior endocrine therapy must have been stopped \> 12 months prior to registration on this protocol * No use of investigational anti-cancer agents at time of registration * Patient must register within 14 weeks of final surgery * Adequate excision: Surgical removal of all clinically evident disease in the breast and lymph nodes as follows: * Breast surgery: Total mastectomy with grossly negative margins (in the opinion of the surgeon there is no disease grossly at the margins) or breast-conserving surgery with histologically negative margins (no ink on tumor, including DCIS) unless those margins are anterior at the skin or posterior at the chest wall and no additional margin re-excision can be performed * Lymph node surgery: Lymph node surgery must have been performed and can include sentinel lymph node biopsy, targeted axillary dissection, or axillary dissection, at the discretion of the breast surgeon * Adequate radiation: Patients who completed breast-conserving surgery (i.e. lumpectomy) must have received or plan to receive adjuvant radiation. If breast-conserving surgery was performed but patient will not be receiving breast radiation, the patient is not eligible. Patients for whom radiotherapy would be recommended for breast cancer treatment but for whom it is contraindicated because of medical reasons (e.g., connective tissue disorder or prior ipsilateral breast radiation) are not eligible * Adjuvant radiation can be given on study, and in this case is encouraged to be given concurrently with adjuvant HER2-directed therapy, per investigator discretion * Targeting of the regional nodal basins will be at treating investigator discretion * Not pregnant and not nursing, because this study involves agents with known teratogenic potential. Therefore, for women of childbearing potential only, a negative serum or urine pregnancy test should be performed prior to receiving HER2-directed therapy according to local standard practice * Adequate hepatic, renal and bone marrow function to receive adjuvant HER2-directed therapy in the opinion of the treating investigator. There are no specific required laboratory values for eligibility * No stage IV (metastatic) breast cancer * Patients with a prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history or treatment does not have the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational regimen are eligible for this trial * No history of any prior (ipsilateral \[ipsi-\] or contralateral) invasive breast cancer. Prior DCIS is allowed * No evidence of recurrent disease following preoperative therapy and surgery * Patients living with HIV who are healthy and deemed by their medical team to have a low risk of AIDS-related illnesses are included in this trial. Patients with Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C virus who are healthy and deemed by their medical team to meet all other enrollment criteria are included in this trial. * Patients with inadequate cardiac function on most recent assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) are not eligible for this trial. Inadequate cardiac function is defined as LVEF \< 50% on echocardiogram (echo) or multiple-gated acquisition (MUGA) * No history of grade 3 or 4 toxicity related to trastuzumab. If pertuzumab is planned to be given on trial, patient must also have no history of grade 3-4 toxicity related to pertuzumab * No contraindication to receipt of further HER2-directed therapy * No patients with severe, uncontrolled systemic disease that may interfere with planned trial therapy. Exclusion Criteria: \-
Where it's running
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Mayo Clinic Hospital in Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona, United States Recruiting -
NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital and Fowler Family Cancer Center - Jonesboro
Jonesboro, Arkansas, United States Recruiting -
Tower Cancer Research Foundation
Beverly Hills, California, United States Recruiting -
Mercy Cancer Center - Carmichael
Carmichael, California, United States Recruiting -
Mercy San Juan Medical Center
Carmichael, California, United States Recruiting -
Enloe Medical Center
Chico, California, United States Recruiting
Show 44 more locations
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Kaiser Permanente Dublin
Dublin, California, United States Recruiting -
Mercy Cancer Center - Elk Grove
Elk Grove, California, United States Recruiting -
Stanford Cancer Center Emeryville
Emeryville, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente-Fremont
Fremont, California, United States Recruiting -
Washington Health
Fremont, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente Fresno Orchard Plaza
Fresno, California, United States Recruiting -
UCI Health - Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Ambulatory Care
Irvine, California, United States Recruiting -
UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center
La Jolla, California, United States Recruiting -
Loma Linda University Medical Center
Loma Linda, California, United States Recruiting -
Fremont - Rideout Cancer Center
Marysville, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente- Modesto MOB II
Modesto, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente-Modesto
Modesto, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente-Oakland
Oakland, California, United States Recruiting -
UC Irvine Health/Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Orange, California, United States Recruiting -
Stanford Cancer Institute Palo Alto
Palo Alto, California, United States Recruiting -
Huntington Memorial Hospital
Pasadena, California, United States Recruiting -
Eisenhower Medical Center
Rancho Mirage, California, United States Recruiting -
Mercy Cancer Center - Rocklin
Rocklin, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente-Roseville
Roseville, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente Downtown Commons
Sacramento, California, United States Recruiting -
Mercy Cancer Center - Sacramento
Sacramento, California, United States Recruiting -
University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
Sacramento, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente-South Sacramento
Sacramento, California, United States Recruiting -
Salinas Valley Memorial
Salinas, California, United States Recruiting -
UC San Diego Medical Center - Hillcrest
San Diego, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente-San Francisco
San Francisco, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente-Santa Teresa-San Jose
San Jose, California, United States Recruiting -
Stanford Cancer Center South Bay
San Jose, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente San Leandro
San Leandro, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser San Rafael-Gallinas
San Rafael, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente Medical Center - Santa Clara
Santa Clara, California, United States Recruiting -
Saint John's Cancer Institute
Santa Monica, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente-Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente-South San Francisco
South San Francisco, California, United States Recruiting -
Cedars-Sinai Cancer - Tarzana
Tarzana, California, United States Recruiting -
Torrance Memorial Physician Network - Cancer Care
Torrance, California, United States Recruiting -
Gene Upshaw Memorial Tahoe Forest Cancer Center
Truckee, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente-Vallejo
Vallejo, California, United States Recruiting -
Kaiser Permanente-Walnut Creek
Walnut Creek, California, United States Recruiting -
Woodland Memorial Hospital
Woodland, California, United States Recruiting -
UCI Health - Yorba Linda
Yorba Linda, California, United States Recruiting -
UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital
Aurora, Colorado, United States Recruiting -
UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central
Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States Recruiting -
Memorial Hospital North
Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States Recruiting
+652 more sites. See ClinicalTrials.gov for the full list.
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Jack Beranek
- Email: breastprotocols@alliancenctn.org
- Phone: 773-702-9171
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.