Search

Background: Brain metastasis (BM) is a major clinical problem in metastatic breast cancer (MBC), occurring in 50% of patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer. Historically omitted from clinical trials, recent studies of novel HER2-targeted agents have focused on HER2+ BM patients, addressing stable but also progressing BM and leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LMC)., Summary: This review aimed to summarize the most relevant data on treating patients with HER2+ BM and LMC., Key Messages: The treatment paradigm for patients with HER2+ MBC has changed. Local therapies play an important role, but accumulating evidence on the intracranial activity and clinical benefit of anti-HER2 targeting therapies might lead to a shift in the paradigm on treating BM in the next few years towards more widespread use of systemic therapy., Competing Interests: Marta Filipa Freire Vaz Batista: consulting/advisory board: AstraZeneca; speaker/conferences: Daiichi-Sankyo and Nutricia; travel fees: AstraZeneca, Daiichi-Sankyo, Pfizer, and GSK. Inês Eiriz: speaker/sonferences: Novartis; travel fees: Gilead, Novartis, and Pierre Fabre. Amanda Fitzpatrick: no conflict of interest to declare. Fanny Le Du: consulting/advisory board: Daiichi-Sankyo, Lilly, Seagen Inc., Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, and Sandoz; speaker/conferences: Amgen, Lilly, Novartis, and Pierre Fabre; travel fees: Daiichi-Sankyo, Lilly, Novartis, Pierre Fabre, and Pfizer. Sofia Braga: consulting/advisory board: Daiichi-Sankyo, AstraZeneca, Novartis, and Roche; speaker/conferences: Daiichi-Sankyo, AstraZeneca, Novartis, and Roche; travel fees: Daiichi-Sankyo, AstraZeneca, Novartis, and Roche. Diogo Alpuim Costa has received honoraria from the Portuguese Navy, CUF Oncologia, and NTT DATA and has served as a speaker, advisory board member, or has received research or education funding from AstraZeneca, CUF Oncologia, Daiichi-Sankyo, Gilead, Hoffmann-La Roche, Merck KGaA, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Nestlé, Novartis, Pfizer, Nanobiotix, Puma Biotechnology Inc., Sanofi, Seagen Inc., and Uriage., (Copyright © 2022 by S. Karger AG, Basel.)