Dr. O’Regan on the Role of Therapy Escalation in HER2+ Breast Cancer

Ruth O’Regan, MD, professor, division head, Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, associate director, Clinical Research, University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, discusses the role of therapy escalation in HER2-positive breast cancer.

In recent years, progress has been made in the HER2-positive breast cancer armamentarium; however, where and when therapy escalation should be applied remains an unanswered question, says O’Regan.

According to O’Regan, patients with ​high-risk breast cancer, such as patients with node-positive disease or ​those who did not achieve a pathologic complete response ​(pCR) with neoadjuvant therapy, ​could be considered for therapy escalation.

Based on findings from the phase 3 KATHERINE trial, ​patients who do not achieve a pCR with neoadjuvant therapy may receive adjuvant ado-trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla; T-DM1) ​rather than trastuzumab (Herceptin) alone, concludes O'Regan.