title: [Breast cancer: HER2 changes one's cards on the table].
abstract: Recently, preliminary results of several randomized studies using trastuzumab in the adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer have been reported. In the neoadjuvant setting, patients have been randomized to receive either chemotherapy alone (Group I), 4 cycles of paclitaxel followed by FEC (fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide) fo 4 cycles, or the same chemotherapy with concomitant weekly trastuzumab for 24 weeks (Group II). Pathologic complete responses were 25% in Group I and 66.7% in Group II, showing a significant superiority of treatment including trastuzumab. Among several ongoing studies of adjuvant therapy with trastuzumab, NSABP B-31 trial and NCCTG N9831 trial compared a standard treatment of sequential AC (doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide) followed by paclitaxel to the same chemotherapy regimen in combination with weekly trastuzumab for 1 year. In a third study (HERA trial), patients were randomized to 3 arms following adjuvant chemotherapy: observation, triweekly trastuzumab for 1 year or for 2 years. Joint analysis of B-31 and N9831 trials and interim analysis of patients randomized to receive 1 year trastuzumab in the HERA trial, show a significant improvement in disease-free survival with chemotherapy combined with trastuzumab. Treatment has been generally well tolerated with acceptable cardiotoxic effects (< 4%). However, the short follow-up precludes any information about long-term side-effects. Overall, although the risk/benefit ratio is in favor of trastuzumab including regimens, the use of this monoclonal antibody in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer, should be carefully discussed with the patient.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Nazionale Tumori Regina Elena, Roma.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lopez
mesh_terms: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011859:Radiography; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors; D000068878:Trastuzumab
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D015251:Epirubicin; D017239:Paclitaxel; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab