Olubukola Ayodele, Breast Cancer Lead at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“As I head to SABCS 2025, one thing is already clear, this year’s conference has a strong focus on oral SERDs and maintenance strategies across early-stage and metastatic breast cancer.
A few abstracts already have headline-level data, and many people have been asking what they actually mean for day-to-day practice.
1. evERA – updated subgroup analysis
We’ve already seen the main results at ESMO 2025, where the all-oral SERD + mTOR inhibitor combination showed a meaningful improvement in progression-free survival. The update at SABCS looks at how different subgroups performed.
What stands out is that the benefit is looking consistent. In people with ESR1 mutations, the reduction in risk of progression or death approached 62%.
Why this matters: Many patients who relapse after CDK4/6 inhibitors need effective, convenient therapy. An oral combination that works across key molecular subtypes supports real-world flexibility.
2. EMERALD/EMBER updates
SERDs are clearly having a moment. We saw data at ASCO 2025 and will get further updates at SABCS on safety, durability and molecular signals that may help refine how we select patients in future.
Why this matters: As we move towards next-generation endocrine therapy, the question is no longer ‘do SERDs work?’ but ‘who benefits most, and when should we use them?’
3. lidERA: adjuvant SERD breakthrough
This is the study many clinicians will be watching. lidERA is the first trial to show that an oral SERD in the adjuvant setting can improve invasive disease-free survival compared with standard endocrine therapy.
Why this matters: This could reshape endocrine therapy in early HR-positive disease, especially for people who struggle with aromatase inhibitor side effects or adherence.
4. HER2CLIMB-05 – HER2+ maintenance therapy
We now have evidence that adding an oral HER2-directed TKI to maintenance antibody therapy significantly improves progression-free survival in metastatic HER2-positive disease.
Why this matters: This strengthens the move towards chemo-free maintenance, offering patients good disease control with fewer clinic visits.
5. PATINA – CNS protection signal
A secondary analysis suggests a possible reduction or delay in brain metastases when a CDK4/6 inhibitor is added to maintenance endocrine + HER2-targeted therapy in HR+/HER2+ metastatic disease.
Why this matters: Anything that helps prevent or delay CNS involvement is important, both clinically and emotionally, for patients and families.
Follow me as I bring you updates throughout the week.”
More posts from SABCS 2025.
