Anthracycline-free neoadjuvant therapy induces pathological complete responses by exploiting immune proficiency in HER2+ breast cancer patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy (NC) including trastuzumab induces a high rate of pathological Complete Responses (pCR) in patients with locally advanced HER2-overexpressing Breast Cancer (BC), but is penalized by a severe cardiotoxicity when combined with anthracyclines. A phase II study was designed to assess whether an anthracycline-free NC regimen based on the early addition of trastuzumab to paclitaxel may increase the pCR rate without inducing severe cardiotoxicity in patients with locally advanced HER2-overexpressing BC. Immunomonitoring was performed to assess the contribution of patients' immunological background to the induction of clinical responses.

Methods

Stage II-III HER2-positive BC patients received 24 weeks paclitaxel and trastuzumab NC, followed by 1 y

SUBMITTER: Miolo G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4302069 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature