Trastuzumab improves survival in early breast cancer

Trastuzumab [Herceptin] prolongs disease-free survival duration in patients with early breast cancer, according to studies presented at the 41st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) [Orlando, Florida, US; May 2005]. A joint interim analysis of two phase III studies demonstrated a 52% reduction in the risk of disease recurrence in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer who received trastuzumab plus chemotherapy, compared with patients who received chemotherapy alone. A third study showed that patients treated with trastuzumab had a relative risk reduction of 46% for disease recurrence compared with observation alone.