Abstract
BACKGROUND : Systemic trastuzumab chemotherapy given pre-operatively or post-operatively has improved the prognosis of HER2-positive breast cancer patients. Recently, it was reported that patients could be safely given combination chemotherapy involving anthracyclines and trastuzumab using lower doses of anthracyclines.
Combination FEC75 and trastuzumab therapy was given to 14 HER2-positive breast cancer patients as pre-operative chemotherapy. The treatmants effects and safety were assessed.
METHODS : We enrolled 14 HER2-positive(HER2 enriched type or Luminal B type) breast cancer patients who required systemic chemotherapy from September 2010 to December 2011. Patients who were relatively young and had a good cardiac status were selected for the FEC75 and trastuzumab group ; their results were compared to the group treated with conventional FEC100 and the group given 75-Taxan and trastuzumab as preoperative chemotherapy.
RESULTS : Among the 13 patients who were given 5-Fluorouracil/Epirubicin/Cyclophosphamide (FEC)75 and trastuzumab as preoperative chemotherapy the pathological complete response (pCR) rate was 77.8% ; pCR was especially common among HER2 enriched type patients. Compared with the FEC100 treatment group, these 13 patients had milder side effects. We found that pCR with combination FEC75 and trastuzumab therapy may depend on dose density and dose intensity.
