Trastuzumab halves the risk of recurrence in early breast cancer
The HER2-receptor blocker trastuzumab (Herceptin) reduces the risk of recurrence by 46 per cent in women with early-stage breast cancer expressing HER2, according to results from the international HERA (Herceptin adjuvant) study, which specialists agreed would change practice.
The study was presented at the American
Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, this week and included nearly 5,100
women from 39 countries. The women were randomised to treatment with
trastuzumab or placebo every three weeks for 12 or 24 months, following
surgery to remove their tumours and chemotherapy, in addition to radiotherapy
in some cases. Trastuzumab also increased disease-free survival. Results
were announced for 12 months’ treatment since the 24-month arm
of the study is ongoing.
Martine Piccart, Jules Bordet Institute, Brussels, and lead researcher
of the study, said: “These results now add to the growing body
of evidence that Herceptin should be considered in the care of HER2-positive
breast cancer patients, regardless of the stage of their disease.” She
added: “It is now crucial that testing for HER2 status becomes
standard for all women at primary diagnosis of breast cancer.”
Combined results reported at the meeting from two further North American
trials including 3,300 women with early HER2-positive breast cancer showed
similar results with trastuzumab, with a 52 per cent reduction in risk
of cancer recurrence and 33 per cent
reduction in risk of death. The size of the reduction was similar to
that with tamoxifen in cancers expressing oestrogen receptors.
Tim Root, chairman of the British Oncology Pharmacy Association, said: “We
have to resource our pharmacy chemotherapy services to cope with the
addition of new types of drugs — such as Herceptin — to chemotherapy
regimens.” |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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