Current trends in the treatment of HR+/HER2+breast cancer

Treatment for HR+/HER2+ patients has been debated, as some tumors within this luminal HER2+ subtype behave like luminal A cancers, whereas others behave like non-luminal HER2+ breast cancers. Recent research and clinical trials have revealed that a combination of hormone and targeted anti-HER2 approaches without chemotherapy provides long-term disease control for at least some HR+/HER2+ patients. Novel anti-HER2 therapies, including neratinib and trastuzumab emtansine, and new agents that are effective in HR+ cancers, including the next generation of oral selective estrogen receptor downregulators/degraders and CDK4/6 inhibitors such as palbociclib, are now being evaluated in combination. This review discusses current trials and results from previous studies that will provide the basis for current recommendations on how to treat newly diagnosed patients with HR+/HER2+ disease. Lay abstract About 10% of all breast cancer tumors are both HR+ and HER2+. It is clear that some patients with this type of breast cancer will require only hormone therapy aimed at HRs and others will require a combination of hormone therapy and drugs targeted at HER2. This review discusses current clinical trials and results from previous studies of patients with HR+/HER2+ disease.

Automated summary

Treatment for HR+/HER2+ patients has been debated due to varying tumor behaviors within this subtype. Recent research suggests a combination of hormone and targeted anti-HER2 approaches may provide long-term disease control for some patients. New therapies targeting HER2 and HR+ cancers are being evaluated in combination for potential treatment strategies.