excellent response rate w herceptin+vinorelbine(+/- AI) in her2+ bc especlly er+her2+

[Lani]

Breast. 2010 Jan 28. [Epub ahead of print]
Preoperative therapy with trastuzumab and oral vinorelbine (+/- endocrine therapy) in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.
Iorfida M, Bagnardi V, Balduzzi A, Dellapasqua S, Cardillo A, Luini A, Intra M, Minchella I, Veronesi P, Viale G, Goldhirsch A, Colleoni M.

Unit of Research in Medical Senology, European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141, Milan, Italy; Department of Medicine, European Institute of Oncology Milan, via Ripamonti 435, Milan 20141, Italy.
BACKGROUND: Combined trastuzumab and intravenous vinorelbine yielded high clinical activity as preoperative treatment in patients (pts) with HER 2/neu positive breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We tested a preoperative combination of trastuzumab with oral vinorelbine (oV) in pts with locally advanced (T2-T4 N0-3 M0) HER2-positive breast cancer. Trastuzumab was administered i.v q 3 wks and oV was administered at the dose of 55 mg/sqm on days 1 and 3 q 3 wks, for 8 courses. Pts with ER >/= 10% tumors received endocrine therapy with letrozole 2.5 mg/day, plus monthly triptorelin if premenopausal. RESULTS: Forty-five pts entered the study. The overall response rate (CR + PR) was 76% (95% CI: 60%-87%). pCR was observed in 4 pts (10%). Among ER-positive tumors 21/25 pts obtained a clinical response (84%) and two pts obtained a pCR (8%). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of trastuzumab and oral vinorelbine demonstrated encouraging activity in patients with HER 2 positive ER-positive tumors. Alternative strategies should be investigated in patients with endocrine non responsive disease. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

PMID: 20117001