title: The use of HER2 modulation in the adjuvant setting.
abstract: Amplification of the her-2/neu gene is associated with poor prognosis in patients with early-stage and metastatic breast cancer. Trastuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against the HER2 protein, which is overexpressed in approximately 25% of patients with primary invasive breast cancer. Randomized phase III clinical trials showed that administration of trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy or following chemotherapy significantly improves disease-free and overall survival rates in patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer. The integration of trastuzumab in the adjuvant setting is changing the natural history of HER2-driven breast cancer from one of the worst subtypes to one that is highly curable with available therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Medical Oncology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 1354, Houston, TX 77230-1439, USA.
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Esteva
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases