Dr. Freedman Discusses CNS Metastases in HER2+ Breast Cancer

Rachel A. Freedman, MD, MPH, associate clinical director, Breast Oncology Center, Susan F. Smith Center for Women's Cancers, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, senior physician, assistant professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, discusses brain metastases in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.

CNS metastases occur in about 50% of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. There is an unmet need in HER2-positive disease, says Freedman, a need that may be remedied by a combination of neratinib (Nerlynx) and capecitabine.

There is currently a phase II trial of neratinib plus capecitabine for patients with HER2-posititve breast cancer who also have brain metastases.