Dr. Verma on Targeting HER2 in Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Video

Sunil Verma, MD, MSEd, FRCPC, associate professor, University of Toronto, chair, Breast Medical Oncology, Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre, discusses targeting HER2 in early-stage breast cancer.

Sunil Verma, MD, MSEd, FRCPC, associate professor, University of Toronto, chair, Breast Medical Oncology, Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre, discusses targeting HER2 in early-stage breast cancer.

Verma says that data have shown that trastuzumab for 1 year leads to a reduction in breast cancer recurrence by about 40% and that survival improves, in relative terms, by about 40%. Further, 9 weeks of trastuzumab also appears to be beneficial, though data were not statistically significant. In comparison to 6 months, 1 year of trastuzumab proved to be a better option in a trial, though the primary endpoint of non-inferiority was not met. The question of duration of treatment with trastuzumab still needs to be definitively answered, but 1 year is the standard of care now.

With respect to a non-anthracycline-based approach, the combination of weekly paclitaxel and trastuzumab has shown to be well tolerated and effective. Verma says this combination represents a great option for patients who have tumors up to 2 cm.

Related Videos
Shivaani Kummar, MBBS, FACP, Margaret and Lester DeArmond Endowed Chair of Cancer Research, Professor and Division Head, Division of Hematology/Medical Oncology, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine; co-director, Center for Experimental Therapeutics, co-deputy director, Knight Cancer Institute
Andre Goy, MD
Wenxin (Vincent) Xu, MD,
Guenther Koehne, MD, PhD
Alessandro Villa, DDS, PhD, MPH
Joseph Mikhael, MD
Michael Richardson, MD
Video 1 - "HR+/HER2- Early-Stage Breast Cancer: Background and Risk Stratification "