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Dual human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 blockade for the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer

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Abstract

The introduction of trastuzumab into clinical practice changed the natural course of HER2-positive breast cancer. Currently, treatment with trastuzumab represents the standard of care for HER2-positive breast cancer and this treatment has been approved in the adjuvant, neoadjuvant, and metastatic settings. Besides trastuzumab, two other anti-HER2 agents—lapatinib and pertuzumab—have been approved for the treatment of HER2-positive advanced breast cancer. Strong biologic data support the concept of dual HER2 blockade, with different anti-HER2 agents demonstrating complementary mechanisms of action. Several neoadjuvant and metastatic studies performed in HER2-positive breast cancer using dual HER2 blockade have been proven to outperform anti-HER2 monotherapies. These dual combinations of agents represent a promising therapeutic strategy that is now reaching clinical practice. In this review we describe the results of studies utilizing dual blockade in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.

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Acknowledgments

The MD Anderson Cancer Center is supported in part by the National Institutes of Health through Cancer Center Support Grant CA016672.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Correspondence to Ricardo H. Alvarez.

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Recommended at the 20th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Breast Cancer Society.

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Alvarez, R.H., Hortobagyi, G.N. Dual human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 blockade for the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. Breast Cancer 20, 103–110 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-013-0446-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-013-0446-6

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