Neoadjuvant atezolizumab plus anti-HER2 therapy and chemotherapy for early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer

Combining standard of care (pertuzumab-trastuzumab [PH] and chemotherapy) with cancer immunotherapy may improve outcomes of patients with high-risk HER2-positive early stage breast cancer. The multinational phase 3 IMpassion050 trial evaluated addition of atezolizumab to neoadjuvant PH and chemotherapy for patients with T2-4, N1-3, M0 breast cancer. Addition of atezolizumab did not improve pCR rates in the ITT population or in the PD-L1-positive population. The authors conclude that PH plus chemotherapy remains standard of care.