Dr. Tripathy on Efforts to Minimize Risk of Recurrence in Early-Stage HER2+ Breast Cancer

Debu Tripathy, MD, professor of medicine and chair of the Department of Breast Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses efforts being made to minimize the risk of disease recurrence in patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer.

The goal of treating patients with early-stage breast cancer is to minimize the risk of recurrence, according to Tripathy. Over the past few decades, some therapies that were being utilized in the advanced setting—which may not be curative but could induce temporary responses—can be used in early-stage disease to lower the risk of recurrence.

These options comprised hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, and HER2-targeted therapies—primarily antibodies. Many advances have been made in lowering the risk of recurrence and death in patients with early-stage breast cancer. However, it is not currently possible to predict which patients will experience recurrent disease, Tripathy says. This has all led to the field personalizing treatment, Tripathy concludes.