Trastuzumab For HER2-Positive BC may be linked to CNS Mets

cp418 · March 2013

Trastuzumab For HER2-Positive Breast Cancer May Be Linked To CNS Metastases.

Medscape (3/15, Lowry) reports, "Women with HER2-positive breast cancer who receive adjuvant trastuzumab (Herceptin, Genentech/Roche) have a significant risk for metastases in the central nervous system (CNS) as the site of first recurrence, according to a report published online March 4 in the Annals of Oncology." Investigators looked at data from four trials. They found that, "of the 4921 patients who received adjuvant trastuzumab, 125 developed CNS metastases as the site of first recurrence, for an overall incidence of 2.56% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.07% - 3.01%)." In comparison, "of the 4099 patients who did not receive trastuzumab, there were 78 CNS events, for an incidence of 1.94% (95% CI, 1.54% - 2.38%)."

Husband11 · March 2013

What is the overall benefit when looking at incidence of recurrence?

Sassa · March 2013

Great - just when I thought it was safe to go back into the water ;-o

I can't bring up the study. Was there any mention of the time period post treatment when the recurrences happened?

cp418 · March 2013

http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/03/04/annonc.mdt036.short

http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin/101612/page2

http://www.cancernetwork.com/her2-positive-breast-cancer/content/article/10165/2132128

Sassa · March 2013

Thank you for the articles, cp418.

Back in February 2007 when I started herceptin, my oncologist told me that HER2+ BC had a tendency to recurr in the brain as the first site. She also told me the greatest risk for the recurrence was the first 1 -2 years after the end of chemo (year one being the year of herceptin), dropping a bit for year 3, and going down to about 1-2% during years 4 -5. My 5 years chemo anniversary would be a cause for celebration as risk would be down to almost zero.

I am glad to see that the articles confirm what she told me and didn't find the period of risk for recurrence was farther out.

jocanuck1951 · March 2013

Cowgirl13 · March 2013

Herceptin is a miracle drug for us that are HER2+. The only area it cannot reach is the brain and because of this there could be a recurrence in the brain. The important thing to remember is that Herceptin DOES NOT cause brain mets.

Dorihans · March 2013

I finished chemo and radiation, and am still taking Herceptin until the summer. I cannot get a straight answer on my chance of brain mets. I just read an article that says HER2+ cancer spreads to the brain in about a third of all cases. Is this true? I am having a hard time living with this fear. I had a brain MRI last month because I felt numbness in my arm. The MRI came out clean, but the doctor said that my risk of brain mets increases until two years after I'm done with Herceptin.

Trastuzumab For HER2-Positive BC may be linked to CNS Mets

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