Abstract Background Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) is the established standard second-line treatment for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients who have previously received trastuzumab. However, there is ongoing debate regarding the subsequent therapeutic options following T-DM1 failure. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs)-based therapy in HER2-positive MBC patients with resistance to T-DM1. Methods During the period from September 2018 to October 2021, a multicenter real-world study was conducted, enrolling a total of 53 patients diagnosed with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC). These patients underwent TKIs-based therapy following the failure of T-DM1 treatment. The primary focus of the study was on evaluating progression-free survival (PFS) as the main endpoint. Secondary endpoints encompassed objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), clinical benefit rate (CBR), and safety assessments. Results A total of 53 patients received TKIs-based therapy as a second-line or later treatment. The median progression-free survival (PFS) for TKIs-based therapy was 11.9 months (95% CI 7.9-15.9). The objective response rate (ORR) and clinical benefit rate (CBR) were found to be 19.6% and 72.5%, respectively. Among patients with brain metastasis (n=12), a median PFS of 10.5 months (95% CI 7.5-13.5) and an intracranial ORR of 33.3% were observed. Patients treated with pyrotinib (n=21) showed improved PFS compared to those treated with lapatinib (n=30), as well as patients who had derived favorable benefit from T-DM1 (PFS ≥ 6 months). Hormone receptor status (HR) and response to T-DM1 were identified as independent factors affecting the effectiveness of TKIs-based therapy. The most frequently reported adverse events included thrombocytopenia (23.6%), diarrhea (15.7%), leucopenia (15.7%), and hand-foot syndrome (15.7%). Conclusion TKIs-based therapy demonstrated favorable effectiveness and safety in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients who had previously received T-DM1 but experienced treatment failure. This includes patients with brain metastases. Notably, individuals who derived favorable benefits from prior T-DM1 treatment displayed significantly prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) when undergoing subsequent TKIs-based therapy. Citation Format: Yongmei Yin, Chunxiao Sun, Yijia Hua, Nan Jin, Wei Li, Xiang Huang. Exploring the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in the management of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer post trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) therapy failure: Insights from a real-world study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO4-04-06.