Dr. Hudis on Neoadjuvant Treatment of HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FACP, chief, Breast Cancer Medicine Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, professor of medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, takes a deeper look at neoadjuvant treatment for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.

The negative prognostic yet positive predictor value of HER2 has been one of the key advances in the treatment of breast cancer. However, one of the biggest strides has been made in the neoadjuvant setting, Hudis explains, where the use of trastuzumab has made a significant impact. Data have shown that trastuzumab added to chemotherapy reduces the risk of recurrence and improves overall survival. Additional data have shown that the extent of metastatic HER2-positive disease has reduced from this combination.

Since then, research efforts have been made to improve upon these findings, because some patients do relapse and/or do not generate complete responses.