Patient Selection for Clinical Trials Eliminating Surgery for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Treated with Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy.

Background: Patients with epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer and pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST) may be candidates for nonoperative clinical trials if residual invasive and in situ disease are eradicated.

Methods: This study analyzed 280 patients with clinical T1-2N0-1 HER2+ breast cancer who underwent NST followed by surgical resection to determine key characteristics of patients with pCR in the breast and lymph nodes compared with those with residual disease.

Results: Of the 280 patients, 102 (36.

A pilot study of letrozole for one year in women at enhanced risk of developing breast cancer: effects on mammographic density.

Background: Tamoxifen or raloxifen for 5 years reduces the risk of developing invasive breast cancer by 40%. To address safety concerns and seek enhanced efficacy, studies of new chemopreventive agents using mammographic density as a surrogate end point are attractive.

Patients And Methods: Postmenopausal women with risk factors for developing breast cancer were given letrozole 2.