Key clinical point: The combination of pyrotinib and capecitabine significantly prolonged progression-free survival, when compared with lapatinib and capecitabine, in patients with previously treated HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.

Major finding: The median progression-free survival was 12.5 months for the pyrotinib arm and 6.8 months for the lapatinib arm (hazard ratio, 0.39; P < .0001).

Study details: A randomized, phase 3 trial of 267 patients with previously treated HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.

Disclosures: The study was funded by Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co., Ltd. Dr. Xu reported additional disclosures related to AstraZeneca, Eisai, Pfizer, and Roche.