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Individualization of neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer according to molecular tumor characteristics

Nature Clinical Practice Oncology volume 2, pages 598–599 (2005)Cite this article

The development of therapies directed at specific molecular abnormalities within cancer cells is currently an important goal of investigational oncology. The relatively recent development of hormone receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) as validated targets of therapy has moved us rapidly towards this goal. The dramatic disease-free-survival benefits associated with adjuvant trastuzumab in the treatment of patients with HER2-amplified breast cancer validate this approach as a rational and potentially very rewarding strategy.1

Neoadjuvant systemic therapy is standard treatment for patients with locally advanced and large operable breast cancer who desire breast-conserving surgery, and is also being assessed in earlier-stage disease.2 Although randomized studies have not shown a survival advantage for patients with operable breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant vs postoperative chemotherapy, patients who achieve a primary tumor pathologic complete response (pCR) have a significantly better outcome than do those with residual disease.3

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Breast Medical Oncology,

    Bryan T Hennessy, Ana Maria Gonzalez-Angulo & Gabriel N Hortobagyi

  2. Department of Breast Medical Oncology, all at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Bryan T Hennessy, Ana Maria Gonzalez-Angulo & Gabriel N Hortobagyi

Authors
  1. Bryan T Hennessy
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  2. Ana Maria Gonzalez-Angulo
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  3. Gabriel N Hortobagyi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gabriel N Hortobagyi.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Supplementary information

Supplementary Table 1

Some known associations between genomic abnormalities and breast cancer subtypes as defined by the expression of hormone receptors and HER2

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Hennessy, B., Gonzalez-Angulo, A. & Hortobagyi, G. Individualization of neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer according to molecular tumor characteristics. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2, 598–599 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncponc0375

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