Immunotherapy for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer?

The addition of a checkpoint inhibitor to chemotherapy did not increase rates of pathologic complete response.

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (IO) in breast cancer has largely been restricted to patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Currently, pembrolizumab is used in combination with chemotherapy in the preoperative setting (PD-L1 agnostic) and in the metastatic setting for those with PD-L1–positive disease. To date there has been little evidence to support the use of IO in patients with ER-positive tumors as these are generally viewed as immunologically “cold.” Two recent studies evaluated the addition of IO to preoperative HER2-directed therapy in patients with operable, HER-positive breast cancer.

In the industry-sponsored, phase 3, multinational IMpassion050 study, 454 patients with tumors >2 cm and positive axillary nodes…

Reviewing Author

William J. Gradishar, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardLilly; AstraZeneca; Gilead

Grant/Research SupportBreast Cancer Research Foundation

Editorial BoardsClinical Breast Cancer; Oncology; Annals of Surgery; Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNational Comprehensive Cancer Network (Chair, Breast Cancer Panel); American Board of Internal Medicine (Medical Oncology Board)