Dr. Muss on Determining Treatments for HER2+ Breast Cancer

Hyman B. Muss, MD, professor of medicine, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Breast Cancer Geriatric Oncology Program, director, geriatric oncology, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, 2017 Giant of Cancer Care in Supportive/Palliative/Geriatric Care, discusses determining treatments for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.

In the APT trial, patients with HER2-positive breast cancer with smaller node-negative tumors received weekly paclitaxel (Abraxane) and 1 year of trastuzumab (Herceptin). This trial of 400 patients showed 4 relapses with a median follow-up of 6 years. According to Muss, if a patient fits this criteria they should receive this treatment.

If a patient has a more aggressive disease, chemotherapy that omits anthracyclines and regimens that include docetaxel, carboplatin, and trastuzumab should be given.