Dr. Meisel on Effect of the HER2-Low Classification Breast Cancer

Jane L. Meisel, MD, associate professor, the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, discusses the effect of the HER2-low classification for patients with breast cancer.

Meisel estimates that approximately two-thirds of patients with metastatic estrogen receptor (ER)–positive breast cancer could be considered HER2-low, and these patients previously would have been deemed HER2-negative. Although it is likely a smaller proportion of patients with hormone receptor–negative disease is HER2-low, a substantial number of patients with metastatic breast cancer could fall under the new HER2-low classification, Meisel adds.

Improved standardization for the assessment of HER2 status will be important for patients with metastatic breast cancer, particularly as more HER2-targeted agents are developed in clinical trials and evaluated in different patient populations, Meisel concludes.