Breast cancers with low levels of HER2 protein are not distinct subtypes of the disease, according to a study
There is no distinct subtype for breast cancers with low levels of the HER2 protein, according to new research Image Source The introduction of drugs like trastuzumab (Herceptin) that target the HER2 protein has revolutionised the treatment of breast cancer. A new subtype of breast cancer with its own distinct behaviour and prognosis was suspected when researchers discovered that trastuzumab and chemotherapy drug conjugate often responded to breast cancer with lower levels of her2 than previously thought. Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have found that this is not the case. Data from over 5,000 patients showed that these "HER2-low" tumours were no different from "HER2-0" tumours, which lack or only have minute amounts of the HER2 protein, in their treatment response and long-term outcomes. JAMA Oncology is reporting the findings today. For HER2-low and HER2-0 breast cancers, the results show that differences in their behaviour can be explained by