Recent neoadjuvant studies have examined the effects of adding single or dual agents targeting HER2 to chemotherapy, finding unanimously that dual HER2 targeting markedly improves pathologic response. These findings have significant implications for future trial designs, particularly if the impact on pathologic response is accompanied by improved disease-free survival or overall survival.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Relevant articles
Open Access articles citing this article.
-
Apoptosis-inducing anti-HER2 agents operate through oligomerization-induced receptor immobilization
Communications Biology Open Access 21 June 2021
-
CD56 expression in breast cancer induces sensitivity to natural killer-mediated cytotoxicity by enhancing the formation of cytotoxic immunological synapse
Scientific Reports Open Access 19 June 2019
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Sharma, S. V. & Settleman, J. Oncogene addiction: setting the stage for molecularly targeted cancer therapy. Genes Dev. 21, 3214–3231 (2007).
Untch, M. et al. Lapatinib versus trastuzumab in combination with neoadjuvant anthracycline-taxane-based chemotherapy (GeparQuinto, GBG 44): a randomised phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. 13, 135–144 (2012).
Baselga, J. et al. Lapatinib with trastuzumab for HER2-positive early breast cancer (NeoALTTO): a randomised, open-label, multicentre, phase 3 trial. Lancet 379, 633–640 (2012).
Guarneri, V. et al. Final results of a phase II randomized trial of neoadjuvant anthracycline-taxane chemotherapy plus lapatinib, trastuzumab, or both in HER2-positive breast cancer (CHER-LOB trial) [abstract]. J. Clin. Oncol. 29 (Suppl.), a507 (2011).
Gianni, L. et al. Efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant pertuzumab and trastuzumab in women with locally advanced, inflammatory, or early HER2-positive breast cancer (NeoSphere): a randomised multicentre, open-label, phase 2 trial. Lancet Oncol. 13, 25–32 (2012).
Geyer, C. E. et al. Lapatinib plus capecitabine for HER2-positive advanced breast cancer. N. Engl. J. Med. 355, 2733–2743 (2006).
von Minckwitz, G. et al. Trastuzumab beyond progression in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive advanced breast cancer: a German Breast Group 26/Breast International Group 03–05 study. J. Clin. Oncol. 27, 1999–2006 (2009).
Blackwell, K. L. et al. Randomized study of lapatinib alone or in combination with trastuzumab in women with ErbB2-positive, trastuzumab-refractory metastatic breast cancer. J. Clin. Oncol. 28, 1124–1130 (2010).
Baselga, J. et al. Pertuzumab plus trastuzumab plus docetaxel for metastatic breast cancer. N. Engl. J. Med. 366, 109–119 (2012).
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Claire Dees, Hy Muss, and Billy Irvin for their thoughtful and very critical reviews of this commentary.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
L. Carey declares she is a consultant and advisor for Sanofi Oncology, Wyneth/Pfizer, Genentech/Roche, Bristol–Myers Squibb, Novartis, Amgen, and GlaxoSmithKline for which she receives no economic compensation. She receives reserahc support from GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi Oncology and Genentech.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Carey, L. HER2—a good addiction. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 9, 196–197 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2012.36
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2012.36
This article is cited by
-
Apoptosis-inducing anti-HER2 agents operate through oligomerization-induced receptor immobilization
Communications Biology (2021)
-
CD56 expression in breast cancer induces sensitivity to natural killer-mediated cytotoxicity by enhancing the formation of cytotoxic immunological synapse
Scientific Reports (2019)