Which treatment should come first for ER+ and HER2+ breast cancer?
If your breast cancer is both ER-positive and HER2-positive, you typically won't have to choose one over the other. Treatment usually involves both targeted therapy for HER2 and hormone therapy for ER together, either at the same time or in sequence.
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Which treatment should come first for ER+ and HER2+ breast cancer?
If your breast cancer is both ER-positive and HER2-positive, you typically won't have to choose one over the other. Treatment usually involves both targeted therapy for HER2 and hormone therapy for ER together, either at the same time or in sequence.
Most people with HER2-positive breast cancer start with targeted anti-HER2 therapy, often combined with chemotherapy and/or surgery. This is because HER2-positive breast cancer tends to grow and spread quickly, so addressing the HER2 protein is usually a priority.
After completing initial treatments, hormone therapy may be added as maintenance therapy. This can continue for five years or more to help prevent the cancer from returning by blocking the hormones that fuel cancer cell growth.
Your oncologist will create a personalized treatment plan based on:
* Your specific tumor characteristics
* The stage and grade of your cancer
* Your overall health
* Whether you're premenopausal or postmenopausal
The good news is that having both HER2-targeted and hormone therapies available gives you multiple ways to fight the cancer effectively.
November 5, 2025
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