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Immunotherapies against HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
Santiago Duro-Sánchez1,2,3,4, Macarena Román Alonso1,2,3,4, Joaquín Arribas1,2,3,4,5,6
1Preclinical & Translational Research Program, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), 08035 Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract:
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. HER2-positive breast cancer, which represents 15-20% of all cases, is characterized by the overexpression of the HER2 receptor. Despite the variety of treatments available for HER2-positive breast cancer, both targeted and untargeted, many patients do not respond to therapy and relapse and eventually metastasize, with a poor prognosis. Immunotherapeutic approaches aim to enhance the antitumor immune response to prevent tumor relapse and metastasis. Several immunotherapies have been approved for solid tumors, but their utility for HER2-positive breast cancer has yet to be confirmed. In this review, we examine the different immunotherapeutic strategies being tested in HER2-positive breast cancer, from long-studied cancer vaccines to immune checkpoint blockade, which targets immune checkpoints in both T cells and tumor cells, as well as the promising adoptive cell therapy in various forms. We discuss how some of these new approaches may contribute to the prevention of tumor progression and be used after standard-of-care therapies for resistant HER2-positive breast tumors, highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of each. We conclude that immunotherapy holds great promise for the treatment of HER2-positive tumors, with the potential to completely eradicate tumor cells and prevent the progression of the disease.
Insights
Immunotherapy shows promise for HER2-positive breast cancer, offering new strategies beyond standard treatments. These approaches aim to boost the immune system to fight cancer, potentially preventing relapse and metastasis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
Background:
- Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths in women globally.
- HER2-positive breast cancer, characterized by HER2 receptor overexpression, affects 15-20% of patients.
- Current treatments face challenges with patient response, leading to relapse, metastasis, and poor prognosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review various immunotherapeutic strategies for HER2-positive breast cancer.
- To evaluate the potential of immunotherapy in preventing tumor progression and treating resistant tumors.
- To highlight the benefits and drawbacks of different immunotherapeutic approaches.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on immunotherapeutic strategies.
- Examination of cancer vaccines, immune checkpoint blockade, and adoptive cell therapy.
- Analysis of clinical utility and potential applications in HER2-positive breast cancer.
Main Results:
- Immunotherapy aims to enhance antitumor immune response to prevent relapse and metastasis.
- Various immunotherapeutic strategies are under investigation for HER2-positive breast cancer.
- These approaches may complement standard-of-care therapies for resistant tumors.
Conclusions:
- Immunotherapy holds significant promise for treating HER2-positive breast cancer.
- It offers potential for complete tumor cell eradication and disease progression prevention.
- Further research is needed to confirm the utility of immunotherapies in this patient population.
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