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Review
. 2024 Mar 24;13(7):1873.
doi: 10.3390/jcm13071873.

Hormone Receptor-Positive/HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Hormone Therapy and Anti-HER2 Treatment: An Update on Treatment Strategies

Chiara Tommasi  1   2   3 , Giulia Airò  1   2   3 , Fabiana Pratticò  1   2   3 , Irene Testi  1   2 , Matilde Corianò  1   2   3 , Benedetta Pellegrino  1   3 , Nerina Denaro  4 , Laura Demurtas  5 , Mariele Dessì  5 , Sara Murgia  6 , Giovanni Mura  7 , Demi Wekking  8 , Mario Scartozzi  5   6 , Antonino Musolino  1   2   3 , Cinzia Solinas  5
Affiliations
Review

Hormone Receptor-Positive/HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Hormone Therapy and Anti-HER2 Treatment: An Update on Treatment Strategies

Chiara Tommasi et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Hormone receptor (HR)-positive/HER2-positive breast cancer represents a distinct subtype expressing estrogen and progesterone receptors with an overexpression of HER2. Approximately 14% of female breast cancer cases are HER2-positive, with the majority being HR-positive. These tumors show a cross-talk between the hormonal and HER2 pathways; the interaction has implications for the treatment options for the disease. In this review, we analyze the biology of HR-positive/HER2-positive breast cancer and summarize the evidence concerning the standard of care options both in neoadjuvant/adjuvant settings and in advanced disease. Additionally, we focus on new trials and drugs for HR-positive/HER2-positive breast cancer and the new entity: HER2-low breast cancer.

Keywords: HER2; HER2 blockage; endocrine therapy; estrogen receptor; hormone receptor positive HER2-positive breast cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

B.P. reports grants from Roche, other support from Pfizer, Lilly, Gilead, and Novartis, and personal fees from Merk. Member of advisory board for Daiichi-Sankyo. M.S. acted as consultant for MSD, BMS, Astra-Zeneca, Merks, Amgen, and Servier and received speaker honoraria from MSD, Merks, Amgen, Eisai, and Servier outside the submitted work. A.M. is a member of the advisory board of Astra-Zeneca, Gilead, Lilly, Novartis, Roche, and Seagen; he received speakers’ bureau from Amgen, Sanofi, MSD, EISAI, Astra Zeneca, Merck, and Bayer, and had contracted research with Lilly and Roche. Other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Convergence of HER2 and ER pathways in HR-positive/HER2-positive BC. Green arrows show the stimulated pathways after HER2 and HR stimulation (explanation in the text).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Standard treatments and endocrine therapy option in patients with HR-positive/HER2-positive early BC after antiHER2 treatments. Abbreviations: BC: breast cancer; CT: chemotherapy; pts: patients, NACT: neoadjuvant chemotherapy; pCR: pathological complete response; OFS: ovarian function suppression; AI: aromatase inhibitor.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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