(Press-News.org) Human epidermal growth factor (HER2) positive breast cancers are often treated with the same therapy regardless of hormone receptor status. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Breast Cancer Research shows that women whose HER2 positive cancer was also hormone (estrogen and progesterone) receptor (HR) negative had an increased risk of early death, and that their cancer was less likely to recur in bone than those whose cancer retained hormone sensitivity.
Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease with many different subtypes. HR positive cancer is more likely to be luminal A or B type and be treated with endocrine therapy including tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors, while HR negative cancer is more likely to be basal or 'HER2-enriched'. HER2 positive cancers can fall into both of these categories.
A multicentre study from 13 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) hospitals analysed data from over 3000 women diagnosed with early stage HER2 positive breast cancer. At first recurrence, most of the women in the study were treated with chemotherapy and/or with anti-HER2 therapy.
Dr Ines Vaz-Luis, who led the study revealed, "In this large group of patients with HER2 positive breast cancer, we found significant associations between presence of HR and presenting features, patterns of recurrence and survival outcomes. In the first five years after treatment more women died from HR negative cancer than HR positive."
Recurrence in the brain or bone was also linked to receptor status, with more HR negative cancer in the brain and HR positive cancer in bone. About half of recurrent tumours tested had switched progesterone or estrogen receptor status (positive to negative or vice versa) or lost HER2 status during the study.
Dr Vaz-Luis, continued, "Based on our findings, HR status defines two different subsets of HER2 positive cancers. To combat this, we believe that studies which look at new drugs for treating HER2-positive breast cancer should also integrate hormone receptor status into their design."
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Notes to Editors
1. Impact of hormone receptor status on patterns of recurrence and clinical outcomes among patients with human epidermal growth factor-2-positive breast cancer in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network: a prospective cohort study
Ines Vaz-Luis, Rebecca A Ottesen, Melissa E Hughes, P Kelly Marcom, Beverly Moy, Hope S Rugo, Richard L Theriault, John Wilson, Joyce C Niland, Jane C Weeks and Nancy U Lin
Breast Cancer Research (in press)
Please name the journal in any story you write. If you are writing for the web, please link to the article. All articles are available free of charge, according to BioMed Central's open access policy.
Article citation and URL available on request on the day of publication.
2. Breast Cancer Research is an international, peer-reviewed online journal, publishing original research, reviews, commentaries and reports. Research articles of exceptional interest are published in all areas of biology and medicine relevant to breast cancer, including normal mammary gland biology, with special emphasis on the genetic, biochemical, and cellular basis of breast cancer. In addition, the journal publishes clinical studies with a biological basis, including Phase I and Phase II trials.
3. BioMed Central (http://www.biomedcentral.com/) is an STM (Science, Technology and Medicine) publisher which has pioneered the open access publishing model. All peer-reviewed research articles published by BioMed Central are made immediately and freely accessible online, and are licensed to allow redistribution and reuse. BioMed Central is part of Springer Science+Business Media, a leading global publisher in the STM sector. @BioMedCentral
Breast cancer recurrence defined by hormone receptor status
2012-10-01
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