Long-term results of perioperative dual anti-HER2 therapy for HER2-positive breast cancer

The multicenter randomized EPHOS-B trial in the UK investigated whether perioperative anti-HER2 therapy inhibited proliferation and/or increased apoptosis in HER2-positive breast cancer. The study showed that early response after short duration anti-HER2 dual therapy (lapatinib plus trastuzumab) identifies cancers dependent on the HER2 pathway providing a strategy for exploring risk-adapted individualized treatment de-escalation.