title: HER2-Orientated Therapy in Early and Metastatic Breast Cancer.
abstract: Due to the enhanced understanding of molecular oncology and signaling pathways in breast cancer (BC), therapy management has undergone a major transformation, especially with the emergence of treatment tailored to individual disease characteristics. In the case of HER2-positive early or metastatic BC, targeted therapies are well established and remain a major focus of ongoing research. The introduction of anti-HER2 biologicals such as trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and T-DM1 has made targeted and personalized treatment possible and has clearly improved disease-free and overall survival in patients with HER2-positive BC. Moreover, neoadjuvant chemotherapy represents a well-established and often favored option for patients with operable BC and a clear indication for postoperative chemotherapy (such as HER2-positive BC). Other trials are trying to identify additional surrogate markers for therapy response and clinical outcome in the neoadjuvant setting and that way open up new perspectives with a possible de-escalation of classical treatment in favor of targeted therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Severine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iborra
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Medical Center Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Elmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stickeler
keywords: Early breast cancer; HER2; Metastatic breast cancer; Targeted therapy