[Objective] To retrospectively analyze the efficacy and safety of Disitamab Vedotin/RC48 in metastatic breast cancer with expression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), as well as its therapeutic predictive markers. [Methods] The clinicopathological data of 15 patients with metastatic breast cancer with HER2 expression who received RC48 treatment in Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital from December 2021 to December 2023 were collected, and their efficacy and safety were evaluated. [Results] In this study, patients with metastatic breast cancer with HER2 expression who received RC48 treatment had an average of 6 lines of treatment. The objective response rate (ORR) was 40%, and the disease control rate (DCR) was 66.7%, the median progression-free survival (mPFS) reached 5.5 months. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate the correlation between different clinicopathological characteristics and RC48 PFS. The results showed that the expression of estrogen receptor (HR), HER2 expression level, number of RC48 treatment lines, whether or not to receive cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) and antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) treatment in the advanced stage were significantly associated with RC48 PFS. The mPFS of patients with HR-negative expression was significantly longer than that of patients with HR-positive expression (6.0 months vs. 2.0 months, P=0.002). The mPFS of patients with HER2 overexpression was significantly longer than that of patients with HER2 low expression (7.0 months vs. 2.0 months, P=0.036). The mPFS of patients treated with 1-4 lines of RC48 was significantly longer than that of patients treated with ≥5 lines (6.5 months vs. 2.0 months, P=0.023). The mPFS of patients who did not receive CDK4/6i treatment in the advanced stage was significantly longer than that of patients who received the treatment (6.0 months vs. 2.0 months, P=0.007). The mPFS of patients who did not receive ADC treatment in the advanced stage was significantly longer than that of patients who received the treatment (6.0 months vs. 1.0 month, P=0.047). Multivariate analysis using the Cox model showed that the expression of HR (HR=0.018, 95% CI: 0.001-0.677, P=0.030), HER2 expression level (HR=34.373, 95% CI: 2.096-563.74, P=0.013), number of RC48 treatment lines (HR=0.032, 95% CI: 0.002-0.552, P=0.018), and whether or not to receive ADC treatment in the advanced stage (HR=0.067, 95% CI: 0.005-0.952, P=0.046) were independent prognostic factors affecting RC48 PFS benefit. Fisher's exact test suggested that all clinicopathological factors analyzed in this study were not significantly associated with the ORR of RC48 treatment. The common adverse reactions of RC48 in this study included sensory abnormality, elevated aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase, bone marrow suppression, fatigue, nausea, and hair loss, and the incidence of severe adverse reactions was low. [Conclusion] RC48 has good ORR and PFS efficacy in metastatic breast cancer patients with HER2 expression. HR negative, HER2 overexpression, RC48 front-line use, and no ADC treatment in late stage can be used as predictive markers of RC48 PFS benefit, but the above factors do not affect the objective response rate. RC48 has good tolerance and is safe for clinical use. |