Welcome to visit Zhongnan Medical Journal Press Series journal website!

Home Articles Vol 30,2026 No.4 Detail

Adverse event signal mining and analysis of tucatinib based on the FAERS database

Published on May. 01, 2026Total Views: 46 times Total Downloads: 8 times Download Mobile

Author: ZHAO Jun ZHAO Zhenying WANG Meisa LI Weiya JIANG Yuan YANG Fengkun

Affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Tianjin People's Hospital (First Affiliated Hospital of Nankai University), Tianjin 300121, China

Keywords: Tucatinib Breast cancer HER2 inhibitor FAERS database Adverse event Disproportionality method

DOI: 10.12173/j.issn.2097-4922.202512105

Reference: ZHAO Jun, ZHAO Zhenying, WANG Meisa, LI Weiya, JIANG Yuan, YANG Fengkun. Adverse event signal mining and analysis of tucatinib based on the FAERS database[J]. Yaoxue QianYan Zazhi, 2026, 30(4): 649-656. DOI: 10.12173/j.issn.2097-4922.202512105.[Article in Chinese]

  • Abstract
  • Full-text
  • References
Abstract

Objective  To analyze the adverse events (AEs) associated with tucatinib based on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database, the adverse events (AEs) associated with tucatinib, and to provide guidance for its safe clinical application.

Methods  AE reports listing tucatinib as the primary suspected drug from Q4 2020 to Q2 2025 were extracted from FAERS. AEs were coded using preferred terms (PT) and system organ class (SOC). Four disproportionality methods were employed for signal detection and analysis.

Results  A total of 2,968 AE reports associated with tucatinib were identified, predominantly from the United States (82.40%) and submitted by consumers (38.00%). Female patients accounted for as high as 89.10%, with the majority aged 60-74 years (21.30%). Most AEs occurred within 1 month of drug administration (45.52%, 178/391). After excluding irrelevant signals such as product issues and primary disease effects, statistical analysis was conducted on the positive results generated by the four algorithms, with a total of 82 PTs positive signals obtained, involving 15 SOCs. The common AEs listed in the tucatinib package insert, including diarrhea, nausea, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia, fatigue, and abnormal liver function, were generally consistent with the PTs and SOCs with high frequencies and signal intensities identified in this study. In addition,  a variety of AEs with strong signals that were not recorded in the package insert, such as onychalgia, onycholysis, memory impairment, cerebral edema, and abnormal examination results of reduced ejection fraction.

Conclusion  When using ticatinib in clinical practice, patients should be closely monitored for gastrointestinal disorders, liver and kidney function, skin conditions and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Cardiac function and electrolyte levels should be regularly assessed during treatment, and any abnormalities should prompt timely intervention and therapeutic adjustment.

Full-text
Please download the PDF version to read the full text: download
References

1. Xiong X, Zheng LW, Ding Y, et al. Breast cancer: pathogenesis and treatments[J]. Signal Transduct Target Ther, 2025, 10(1): 49. DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-02108-4.

2. Bray F, Laversanne M, Sung H, et al. Global cancer statistics 2022: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries[J]. CA Cancer J Clin, 2024, 74(3): 229-263. DOI: 10.3322/caac.21834.

3. Barzaman K, Karami J, Zarei Z, et al. Breast cancer: biology, biomarkers, and treatments[J]. Int Immunopharmacol, 2020, 84: 106535. DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.106535.

4. Li Z, Wei H, Li S, et al. The role of progesterone receptors in breast cancer[J]. Drug Des Devel Ther, 2022, 16: 305-314. DOI: 10.2147/dddt.S336643.

5. Kunte S, Abraham J, Montero AJ. Novel HER2-targeted therapies for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer[J]. Cancer, 2020, 126(19): 4278-4288. DOI: 10.1002/cncr.33102.

6. Swain SM, Shastry M, Hamilton E. Targeting HER2-positive breast cancer: advances and future directions[J]. Nat Rev Drug Discov, 2023, 22(2): 101-126. DOI: 10.1038/s41573-022-00579-0.

7. Michelon I, Vilbert M, Marinho AD, et al. Trastuzumab deruxtecan in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer brain metastases: a systematic review and meta-analysis[J]. ESMO Open, 2024, 9(2): 102233. DOI: 10.1016/j.esmoop.2024.102233.

8. Von Minckwitz G, Procter M, De Azambuja E, et al. Adjuvant pertuzumab and trastuzumab in early HER2-positive breast cancer[J]. N Engl J Med, 2017, 377(2): 122-131. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1703643.

9. Lee A. Tucatinib: first approval[J]. Drugs, 2020, 80(10): 1033-1038. DOI: 10.1007/s40265-020-01340-w.

10. Sirhan Z, Thyagarajan A, Sahu RP. The efficacy of tucatinib-based therapeutic approaches for HER2-positive breast cancer[J]. Mil Med Res, 2022, 9(1): 39. DOI: 10.1186/s40779-022-00401-3.

11. Curigliano G, Mueller V, Borges V, et al. Tucatinib versus placebo added to trastuzumab and capecitabine for patients with pretreated HER2+ metastatic breast cancer with and without brain metastases (HER2CLIMB): final overall survival analysis[J]. Ann Oncol, 2022, 33(3): 321-329. DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2021.12.005.

12. US Food & Drug Administration. FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) Quarterly Data Extract Files[DB/OL]. [2025-08-21]. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/questions-and-answers-fdas-adverse-event-reporting-system-faers/fda-adverse-event-reporting-system-faers-latest-quarterly-data-files.

13. He CZ, Qiu Q, Lu SJ, et al. Adverse event reporting of faricimab: a disproportionality analysis of FDA adverse event reporting system (FAERS) database[J]. Front Pharmacol, 2025, 16: 1521358. DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1521358.

14. 沈杨, 陈垍航. 基于FAERS的地舒单抗联合维生素D不良反应信号分析[J]. 药学前沿, 2025, 29(11): 1898-1905. [Shen  Y, Chen JH. Analysis of adverse reaction signals of denosumab combined with vitamin D based on the FAERS database[J]. Frontiers in Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2025, 29(11): 1898-1905.] DOI: 10.12173/j.issn.2097-4922.202507083.

15. Rothman KJ, Lanes S, Sacks ST. The reporting odds ratio and its advantages over the proportional reporting ratio[J]. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf, 2004, 13(8): 519-523. DOI: 10.1002/pds.1001.

16. Evans SJ, Waller PC, Davis S. Use of proportional reporting ratios (PRRs) for signal generation from spontaneous adverse drug reaction reports[J]. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf, 2001, 10(6): 483-486. DOI: 10.1002/pds.677.

17. Szarfman A, Machado SG, O'neill RT. Use of screening algorithms and computer systems to efficiently signal higher-than-expected combinations of drugs and events in the US FDA's spontaneous reports database[J]. Drug Saf, 2002, 25(6): 381-392. DOI: 10.2165/00002018-200225060-00001.

18. Bate A, Lindquist M, Edwards IR, et al. A Bayesian neural network method for adverse drug reaction signal generation[J]. Eur J Clin Pharmacol, 1998, 54(4): 315-321. DOI: 10.1007/s002280050466.

19. Tang DD, Ye ZJ, Liu WW, et al. Survival feature and trend of female breast cancer: a comprehensive review of survival analysis from cancer registration data[J]. Breast, 2025, 79: 103862. DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2024.103862.

20. Chotai N, Renganathan R, Uematsu T, et al. Breast cancer screening in asian countries: epidemiology, screening practices, outcomes, challenges, and future directions[J]. Korean J Radiol, 2025, 26(8): 743-758. DOI: 10.3348/kjr.2025.0338.

21. Hoyek C, Zheng-Lin B, Jones J, et al. Tucatinib in the treatment of HER2-overexpressing gastrointestinal cancers: current insights and future prospects[J]. Expert Opin Investig Drugs, 2025, 34(3): 161-168. DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2025.2472411.

22. Baas JM, Krens LL, Guchelaar HJ, et al. Recommendations on management of EGFR inhibitor-induced skin toxicity: a systematic review[J]. Cancer Treat Rev, 2012, 38(5): 505-514. DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2011.09.004.

23. Fox LP. Nail toxicity associated with epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor therapy[J]. J Am Acad Dermatol, 2007, 56(3): 460-465. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2006.09.013.

24. Lin NU, Murthy RK, Abramson V, et al. Tucatinib vs. placebo, both in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine, for previously treated ERBB2 (HER2)-positive metastatic breast cancer in patients with brain metastases: updated exploratory analysis of the HER2CLIMB randomized clinical trial[J]. JAMA Oncol, 2023, 9(2): 197-205. DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2022.5610.

25. Corti C, Antonarelli G, Criscitiello C, et al. Targeting brain metastases in breast cancer[J]. Cancer Treat Rev, 2022, 103: 102324. DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2021.102324.

26. Peles E, Yarden Y. Neu and its ligands: from an oncogene to neural factors[J]. Bioessays, 1993, 15(12): 815-824. DOI: 10.1002/bies.950151207.

Popular papers
Last 6 months