A year of maintenance therapy with Herceptin remains the standard of care for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, researchers reported at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
The new phase 3 trial involved more than 5,000 women from several countries. After completing initial treatment for their early stage HER2-positive breast cancer, the women were randomly assigned to received Herceptin every three weeks for one year, two years or not at all.
Researchers found that continuing maintenance for two years did not improve outcomes compared with the standard one year therapy. After a median follow-up of eight years, disease-free survival was 76 percent for those groups who received Herceptin in any capacity, whether it was for one year or two years. Furthermore, heart problems occurred more frequently among the women who received Herceptin for the longer period.
This study, though preliminary, indicates that the current standard for use of Herceptin therapy for breast cancer is still appropriate commented ACSH s Dr. Ruth Kava. She added These results should reassure patients about the current protocol for their treatment.