Trastuzumab without chemotherapy in the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer: subgroup results from a large observational study.

Background: The topic of trastuzumab therapy without chemotherapy in early breast cancer (EBC) has been repeatedly discussed at international consensus meetings, but is compromised by the lack of solid evidence from clinical studies.

Methods: An observational study database of patients with EBC receiving trastuzumab-containing (neo)adjuvant therapy was screened to identify those patients who did not receive cytostatic agents.

Results: Of 3935 patients, 232 (6%) were identified who received no chemotherapy, being characterized by older age, worse performance status, and/or less aggressive histology.

Trastuzumab in Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive Early Breast Cancer: Results of a Prospective, Noninterventional Study on Routine Treatment Between 2006 and 2012 in Germany.

Purpose: Trastuzumab is part of the standard treatment in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive early breast cancer in addition to (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy. This German prospective noninterventional study, which included major patient cohorts underrepresented in the pivotal randomized studies, examined the generalizability of the results of those studies.

Patients And Methods: Between 2006 and 2012, 4,027 patients were enrolled and treated with trastuzumab; they were unselected regarding age or concomitant/sequential adjuvant chemotherapy.