HER-2 improves survival in patients with breast cancer brain metastasis

July 1, 2008

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - HER-2 status is a strong predictor of survival in patients with brain metastases from breast cancer, according to Boston-based researchers.

In the June 1st issue of Cancer, Dr. April F. Eichler of Massachusetts General Hospital and colleagues note that brain metastases are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with breast cancer.

The increased availability of treatment options for women with HER-2-positive tumors has improved survival in metastatic breast cancer. Yet, established prognostic factors have not taken HER-2 status into account.

To investigate further, the researchers retrospectively studied data from 83 patients with breast cancer and new parenchymal brain metastasis who were diagnosed between 2001 and 2005.

The median overall survival from the time of brain metastasis was 8.3 months. However, survival in HER-2-positive patients was 17.1 months compared with 5.2 months in HER-2-negative patients.

The median survival in patients with triple negative disease was 4.0 months compared to 11.2 months in the other patients.

HER-2 status, as well the number of brain metastases and local disease status were the only independent predictors of survival.

The researchers note that overall survival was modestly improved compared with that of historical controls from the 1980s and 1990s, suggesting an improvement in treatment.

However, the team concludes that better treatments are still needed, as more than half of the patients in their study died of CNS disease progression.