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Immunotherapy for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Changing the Paradigm

  • Immuno-oncology (S Tolaney, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Breast Cancer Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

To summarize and discuss the available evidence and ongoing efforts in order to establish the efficacy and safety of immunotherapeutic approaches in HER2-positive breast cancer.

Recent Findings

The introduction into the clinic of anti-HER2–targeted therapies more than 15 years ago resulted in a substantial improvement in the outcome of patients with HER2-overexpressing breast cancer. However, only patients with the highest levels of HER2 expression will potentially benefit from these therapies and, unfortunately, many patients progress or relapse after optimal treatment. As metastatic breast cancer remains an incurable disease, new therapeutic strategies are urgently needed to improve clinical outcomes in these patients. Immunotherapy is emerging as a new treatment modality in breast cancer. Although it has long been regarded as a non-immunogenic disease, new preclinical and clinical studies have emphasized the therapeutic potential of the use of anti-HER2 therapies in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors in improving outcomes in breast cancer patients.

Summary

Emerging results from clinical trials evaluating immunotherapeutic agents, either as monotherapy or in combination with anti-HER2–targeted therapies, are showing promising results in the management of HER2-positive breast cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IOB Institute of Oncology, Quirónsalud Group, Madrid-Barcelona, Spain

    Jesús Soberino, Fabricio Racca, José Pérez-García & Javier Cortés

  2. Medica Scientia Innovation Research (MedSIR), Barcelona, Spain

    José Pérez-García

  3. Medical Statistics Consulting, Valencia, Spain

    Luis F. García-Fernández

  4. Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Barcelona, Spain

    Javier Cortés

  5. IOB Institute of Oncology, Quirónsalud Group Hospital Ruber Internacional, Calle de La Masó 38, 28034, Madrid, Spain

    Javier Cortés

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  1. Jesús Soberino
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  3. José Pérez-García
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  4. Luis F. García-Fernández
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Correspondence to Javier Cortés.

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Conflict of Interest

Jesús Soberino reports personal fees and other from Roche, personal fees from Eisai, and other from Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) outside the submitted work. José Pérez-García reports work with Roche and Lilly outside the submitted work. Javier Cortés reports grants, personal fees, and other from Roche; personal fees and other from Celgene; work with Cellestia; grants and other from AstraZeneca; work with Biothera Pharmaceuticals; work with Merus; work with Seattle Genetics; work with Daiichi Sankyo; work with Erytech; work with Athenex; work with Pholypor; work with Lilly; work with Servier; personal fees from Novartis, grants, and personal fees from Eisai; grants and personal fees from Pfizer; personal fees from Samsung; grants from Ariad Pharmaceuticals; grants from Baxalta GmbH/Servier Affaires; grants from Bayer HealthCare; grants from F. Hoffman-La Roche; grants from Guardant Health; grants from Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD); grants from PIQUR Therapeutics; grants from Puma Biotechnology; grants from Queen Mary University of London; and work with MedSIR outside the submitted work. Fabricio Racca and Luis F. García-Fernández declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this manuscript.

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Soberino, J., Racca, F., Pérez-García, J. et al. Immunotherapy for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Changing the Paradigm. Curr Breast Cancer Rep 11, 248–258 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12609-019-00332-4

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