title: Long-term tumor remission under trastuzumab treatment for HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer - results from the HER-OS patient registry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In this study, we examined patients who had non-progressive disease for at least 2 years after diagnosis of inoperable locoregional recurrent or metastatic breast cancer under continuous trastuzumab treatment. Our primary goal was to assess the long-term outcome of patients with durable response to trastuzumab.
  
  
  METHODS
  268 patients with HER2-positive inoperable locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer and non-progressive disease for at least 2 years under trastuzumab treatment were documented retrospectively or prospectively in the HER-OS registry, an online documentation tool, between December 2006 and September 2010 by 71 German oncology centers. The study end point was time to tumor progression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 47.1% of patients (95% confidence interval (CI): 39.9-54.1%) remained in remission for more than 5 years, while the median time to progression was 4.5 years (95% CI: 4.0-6.6 years). Lower age (<50 years) and good performance status (ECOG 0) at time of trastuzumab treatment initiation as well as complete remission after initial trastuzumab treatment were associated with longer time to progression. Interruption of trastuzumab therapy correlated with shorter time to progression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HER2-positive patients, who initially respond to palliative treatment with trastuzumab, can achieve a long-term tumor remission of several years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, D- 20246 Hamburg, Germany. iwitzel@uke.de.
authors.forename: Isabell
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Witzel
authors.forename: Volkmar
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Abenhardt
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
authors.forename: Winfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schoenegg
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schneeweis
authors.forename: Fritz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jänicke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D012042:Registries; D012074:Remission Induction; D012307:Risk Factors; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab