Her2-Positive Cancers and Antibody-Based Treatment: State of the Art and Future Developments

Abstract

HER2 positive breast cancer represent about 20% of all breast cancer subtypes and it was considered the subtype with the worst prognosis until the discovery of therapies directed against the HER2 protein. The determination of the status of the HER2 must be very precise and well managed to identify this subtype, and there are very specific and updated guides that allow its characterization to be adjusted. Treatment in local disease has been considerably improved with less aggressive and highly effective approaches and very high cure rates. In metastatic disease, average median survival rates of 5 years have been achieved. New highly active molecules have also been discovered that allow disease control in very complicated situations. This article reviews all these options that can be used for the management of this disease.

Keywords

• HER2 positive breast cancer
• targeted therapies
• treatment algorithm