Paolo Tarantino

Paolo Tarantino

Medical Oncologist

Breast Oncology

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Location USA, Boston

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Dr. Paolo Tarantino is a breast medical oncologist and clinical researcher at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, where he is completing an advanced research fellowship in Breast Oncology. Trained in medicine at the University of Naples Federico II and in medical oncology at the European Institute of Oncology (IEO) in Milan, he is also pursuing a PhD in Clinical Research at the University of Milan. He additionally holds the position of Vivian Saykaly Visiting Professor in Medical Oncology at McGill University Health Centre. Dr. Tarantino’s research is focused on the HER2 oncoprotein, the biology of HER2-low breast tumours, and the development and clinical application of novel antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). He has rapidly become one of the most prolific and cited young investigators in breast oncology, with over 129 publications in journals including Nature Reviews Cancer, The Lancet Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, and NPJ Breast Cancer.

Current Positions

  • Clinical Research Fellow, Breast Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, September 2021–present
  • Research Fellow, Harvard Medical School, September 2021–present
  • Vivian Saykaly Visiting Professor in Medical Oncology, McGill University Health Centre / Université de Montréal, October 2025–present
  • Medical Oncology Resident, New Drugs and Early Drug Development Department, IEO — Istituto Europeo di Oncologia, Milan, December 2017–present
  • PhD Candidate, Clinical Research, University of Milan, September 2021–December 2024

Education

  • Laurea Magistrale (MD equivalent), Medicine, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 2010–2016
  • Exchange Studies, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2015
  • Exchange Studies, ICBAS — Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Porto, Portugal, 2013–2014
  • Medical Oncology Residency/Fellowship, Università degli Studi di Milano / IEO, December 2017–January 2023
  • PhD, Clinical Research, Università degli Studi di Milano, September 2021–December 2024

Professional Experience

  • Clinical Observer, Hospital Universitario Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, August–September 2016
  • Medical Oncology Resident, New Drugs and Early Drug Development Department, IEO — Istituto Europeo di Oncologia, Milan, December 2017–present
  • Clinical Research Fellow, Breast Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, September 2021–present
  • Research Fellow, Harvard Medical School, September 2021–present
  • Vivian Saykaly Visiting Professor in Medical Oncology, McGill University Health Centre, October 2025–present

Research Activity

  • HER2 oncoprotein and HER2-low breast cancer: Translational and clinical research on the biology of HER2-low tumours; co-authored landmark meta-analysis of HER2DX and survival in early HER2-positive breast cancer (The Lancet Oncology, 2025); research on HER2 testing redefinition in the ADC era; molecular and clinical insights of trastuzumab deruxtecan efficacy in advanced breast cancer (Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2026)
  • Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs): One of the leading researchers on ADC mechanisms, resistance, sequencing, and clinical application in breast cancer; co-author of landmark Nature Reviews Cancer review on molecular and immunological drivers of ADCs (2025); published on ADC complexity and biology (Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2025), sequencing ADCs in metastatic breast cancer (Cancer Treatment Reviews, 2026), and ADCs in early-stage breast cancer (NPJ Breast Cancer, 2025); co-authored systematic reviews and meta-analyses on ADCs in HER2-low breast cancer
  • Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd): Research on outcomes of subsequent treatments after T-DXd in metastatic breast cancer (Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2025); co-authored commentary on T-DXd resistance mechanisms in HER2-amplified versus HER2-low disease (Cancer Discovery, 2026)
  • HR+/HER2– and CDK4/6 inhibitor treatment: Cost-effectiveness analyses of ribociclib versus abemaciclib and palbociclib as first-line treatments in postmenopausal women; real-world characterization of NATALEE- and monarchE-eligible populations (ESMO Open, 2025); management of metastatic HR+ breast cancer beyond CDK4/6 inhibitors
  • Sacituzumab govitecan: Co-authored clinical perspective on management of key adverse events (The Oncologist, 2025)
  • AKT inhibitors in PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN-altered breast cancer: Meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (Clinical Breast Cancer, 2025)
  • HER2-positive early and metastatic breast cancer: Outcomes and treatment patterns for stage I HER2-positive breast cancer (Cancer, 2025); commentary on neoadjuvant carboplatin in HER2-positive breast cancer (Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2026)
  • Androgen receptor and immune characteristics of HER2-low TNBC: Co-first author study published in NPJ Breast Cancer (2026)
  • Artificial intelligence in breast cancer: Co-author on current perspectives on AI as treatment support in breast cancer (The Breast, 2025)

Certifications / Academic Qualifications

  • Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale — Professore Universitario di seconda fascia (National Scientific Qualification for Associate Professor, Italy)

Areas of Specialization

  • Breast medical oncology
  • HER2-positive and HER2-low breast cancer
  • Triple-negative breast cancer
  • Antibody-drug conjugates — mechanisms, biology, resistance, and sequencing
  • Trastuzumab deruxtecan and novel ADC therapies
  • HR+/HER2– breast cancer and CDK4/6 inhibitor treatment
  • Translational research in breast oncology
  • AKT pathway inhibition in breast cancer
  • Artificial intelligence in oncology
  • Early-phase drug development

Publications

Dr. Tarantino has authored and co-authored more than 129 publications in Nature Reviews Cancer, The Lancet Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, NPJ Breast Cancer, Cancer, Cancer Discovery, Cancer Treatment Reviews, ESMO Open, The Oncologist, Current Oncology Reports, JCO Oncology Practice, Clinical Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, and Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology, among others.

Select Recent Publications:

Nassar AH, Bou Farhat E, Tarantino P, Tolaney SM, Winer EP, et al. “Molecular and clinical insights of trastuzumab deruxtecan efficacy in advanced breast cancer.” Journal of the National Cancer Institute 118(4):669–679, April 2026. PMID: 41418409.

Tarantino P, Cha J, Binboga Kurt B, Chu X, Jeselsohn R, Tolaney SM, et al. “Androgen receptor expression and immune characteristics of HER2-low metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.” NPJ Breast Cancer 12(1), February 2026. PMID: 41688468.

O’Meara TA, Tarantino P. “Different Diseases, Different Escapes: Trastuzumab Deruxtecan Resistance in HER2-Amplified versus HER2-Low Breast Cancer.” Cancer Discovery 16(2):195–197, February 2026. PMID: 41645714.

Tarantino P. “Rise and Fall of Neoadjuvant Carboplatin for Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive Breast Cancer.” Journal of Clinical Oncology, January 2026. PMID: 41576311.

de Almeida LFC, Leite LF, Cappellaro AP, Batalini F, Tarantino P, et al. “Sequencing antibody-drug conjugates in metastatic breast cancer: A systematic review.” Cancer Treatment Reviews 142:103067, January 2026. PMID: 41401644.

Nicolò E, Gianni C, Tarantino P. “Redefining Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Testing in Breast Cancer in the Era of Novel Antibody-Drug Conjugates.” JCO Oncology Practice 22(1):36–50, January 2026. PMID: 40359470.

Zippelius A, Tolaney SM, Tarantino P, Balthasar JP, Thurber GM. “Unveiling the molecular and immunological drivers of antibody-drug conjugates in cancer treatment.” Nature Reviews Cancer 25(12):925–944, December 2025. PMID: 41039110.

Tarantino P, Lee D, Foldi J, Soulos PR, Winer EP, Tolaney SM, Sammons S, Lustberg M, et al. “Outcomes of subsequent treatment regimens after trastuzumab deruxtecan in patients with metastatic breast cancer.” Journal of the National Cancer Institute 117(11):2327–2335, November 2025. PMID: 40811144.

Vogel M, Colombo R, Tarantino P. “Beyond the Guided Missile Paradigm: Embracing the Complexity of Antibody-Drug Conjugates.” Journal of Clinical Oncology 43(31):3339–3344, November 2025. PMID: 40961403.

Lukac S, Putz F, Tolaney SM, Curigliano G, Tarantino P, Leone JP, et al. “Artificial intelligence as treatment support in breast cancer: current perspectives.” The Breast 83:104564, October 2025. PMID: 40882392.

Villacampa G, Pascual T, Tarantino P, Cortés J, Tolaney SM, Prat A, et al. “HER2DX and survival outcomes in early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer: an individual patient-level meta-analysis.” The Lancet Oncology 26(8):1100–1112, August 2025. PMID: 40675165.

Patel P, Giordano A, Tolaney SM, Tarantino P, Schlam I. “Antibody-drug conjugates for treating early-stage breast cancer: current use, anticipated evolutions.” NPJ Breast Cancer 11(1):81, July 2025. PMID: 40739147.

Tolaney SM, Sonpavde GP, Tarantino P, Lustberg MB, Rugo HS. “Clinical perspective on management of key adverse events with sacituzumab govitecan.” The Oncologist 30(11), November 2025. PMID: 41006069.

Tarantino P, Rugo HS, Curigliano G, O’Shaughnessy JA, Graff SL, et al. “Characteristics of real-world NATALEE- and monarchE-eligible populations with HR+/HER2- early breast cancer.” ESMO Open 10(6):105304, June 2025. PMID: 40516131.

O’Meara TA, Tarantino P, Morganti S, Schlam I, Tolaney SM, et al. “Antibody-Drug Conjugates in Breast Cancer: The Road Towards Biologically-Informed Selection and Sequencing.” Current Oncology Reports 27(1):68–79, January 2025. PMID: 39786525.

Waks AG, Tarantino P, Chen EL, Tolaney SM, Leone JP, et al. “Outcomes and treatment patterns for stage I HER2-positive breast cancer in the SEER database, 2010–2019.” Cancer 131(3):e35729, February 2025. PMID: 39887682.

de Moraes FCA, Sano VKT, Tarantino P, et al. “Effects of AKT Inhibitors for PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN-Altered Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.” Clinical Breast Cancer 25(5):391–400, July 2025. PMID: 40254500.

All information is sourced from publicly available materials.