HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Subtytpes Resist Herceptin

"Herceptin has revolutionized the care of HER2-positive breast cancer for many patients, but unfortunately, not for some." said Dr. Lyndsay Harris of the Breast Cancer Disease Unit at Yale University Medical Center. Dr Harris has just published a study that found genetic markers which can identify which subtypes of HER2-positive breast cancer will respond to Herceptin, and which will resist the treatment. This will help doctors refine the treatment that will be most effective for this kind of breast cancer, because if the tumor is resistant to Herceptin, other drugs can be added to the treatment to make it more effective.

• Gene Profiling Predicts Resistance to Breast Cancer Drug Herceptin
• HER2/neu and Diagnosis