Effects of trastuzumab and lapatinib on HER2 positive breast cancer treatment

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of trastuzumab combined with lapatinib in thetreatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive breast cancer. One hundred andfifty-four patients with breast cancer were randomly divided into a trastuzumab group (group A, 52 cases),a lapatinib group (group B, 48 cases) and a combination group (group C, 54 cases). The patients fromgroup A received trastuzumab 4 mg/kg intravenously once a week in the first 9 weeks, and 2 mg/kg iv inthe second 9 weeks. The patients from group B took lapatinib 1.5 g orally once per day. The patients fromgroup C received the combination of 4 mg/kg intravenously once a week in the first 9 weeks, and 2 mg/kgiv trastuzumab (the same doses as in group A) in the second 9 weeks and 1.5 g lipatinib orally per day for18 weeks. After treatment, the clinical efficacy of the treatments in the three groups was observed, and theprogression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), central nervous system (CNS), overall response rate(ORR), clinical Benefit Response (CBP) and adverse reactions were compared before and after treatment.After treatment, PFS of group A, group B and group C were 44, 42 and 58 months, respectively. PFS ofgroup C was significantly higher compared with that of group A and group B (P<0.05). After treatment,during follow-up, OS in group A, group B and group C were 28, 20 and 22 months, respectively. Aftertreatment, the CNS metastasis rate in group C was significantly lower than that in group A and group B(P<0.05). ORR and CBR in group C were higher than those in group A and group B (P<0.05). The incidenceof adverse reactions in group C was significantly lower than that in group A and group B (P<0.05). Inconclusion, the potency of lapatinib combined with trastuzumab in the treatment of HER2 positive breastcancer patients is superior to treatment with lapatinib or trastuzumab only.