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Prolonged complete remission of metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer after continuous trastuzumab treatment: a case report and review of the literature

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Abstract

Metastatic breast cancer is considered an incurable disease. Targeted treatments against the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), however, significantly improve survival in patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. Some patients may respond with prolonged complete remission. Evidence on safety of long-term trastuzumab and risk of relapse after trastuzumab cessation is limited. We present a case of an 81-year-old patient with HER2-amplified metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in the liver. Following taxane-based chemotherapy in combination with trastuzumab after local treatment resulted in a complete radiological remission after 21 months of trastuzumab maintenance therapy. The patient remains in complete remission 6 years later and continues to receive trastuzumab as maintenance therapy. Prolonged remission in cases with complete response under trastuzumab-based regimens for metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer can be observed in some patients. Reviewing the few available cases published in the literature, these patients share some common characteristics: hormone receptor negative disease and metastases to the liver. There is no evidence that trastuzumab maintenance treatment can be safely interrupted after a certain time period.

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Abbreviations

OS:

Overall survival

HER2:

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2

EGFR:

Epidermal growth factor receptor

MBC:

Metastatic breast cancer

BC:

Breast cancer

TTP:

Time to progression

CHT:

Chemotherapy

HR:

Hormone receptor

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gynecology, University Hospital of Zurich, Frauenklinistrasse, CH-8091, Zurich, Switzerland

    Isabel Ihnenfeld Arciénega, Patrick Imesch, Daniel Fink & Konstantin J. Dedes

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  1. Isabel Ihnenfeld Arciénega
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  2. Patrick Imesch
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Correspondence to Konstantin J. Dedes.

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Ihnenfeld Arciénega, I., Imesch, P., Fink, D. et al. Prolonged complete remission of metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer after continuous trastuzumab treatment: a case report and review of the literature. Targ Oncol 10, 297–301 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11523-014-0350-9

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