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Research shows that certain HER2+ breast cancers may need less chemotherapy.

A MyBCTeam Member asked a question 💭
Rochester, NY

A study from the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group’s CompassHER2-pCR trial found that some early-stage HER2-positive breast cancers may be treatable with less chemotherapy than is standard.
Patients were given a combination treatment of a single chemotherapy drug and two HER2-targeted drugs.
Researchers found that 48.3% of participants achieved a pathological complete response after surgery.
Researchers will continue to follow patients for three years to assess overall survival.

October 27
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Reactions
A MyBCTeam Member

I wonder if chemotherapy could’ve been cut shorter if I would’ve ended up still having neuropathy

October 27
A MyBCTeam Member

Great news for our HER2+ sisters facing chemotherapy. Anything to "lighten the load!"

October 27
A MyBCTeam Member

Wow I had the same treatment and would have loved to have had less chemo to achieve the same results. Chemo was very harsh on me but I did have a complete response. I really think I did not need all that chemo and had neuropathy and so much fatigue. Hope it is better for the people to need treatment now.

October 28
A MyBCTeam Member

That would be fantastic!

October 27
MyBCTeam

That's a really encouraging development! The CompassHER2-pCR trial findings suggest that for some people with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer, a lighter chemotherapy approach — one chemo drug paired with two HER2-targeted therapies — may be just as effective as standard treatment.

Nearly half of participants (48.3%) Show Full Answer

That's a really encouraging development! The CompassHER2-pCR trial findings suggest that for some people with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer, a lighter chemotherapy approach — one chemo drug paired with two HER2-targeted therapies — may be just as effective as standard treatment.

Nearly half of participants (48.3%) achieved a pathological complete response, meaning no cancer was detected in the tissue removed during surgery. That's a meaningful result. This matters because reducing chemotherapy could mean:

- Fewer side effects
- Better quality of life during treatment
- Potentially similar outcomes to standard chemo regimens

Researchers will continue monitoring participants for three years to better understand long-term survival outcomes, so more clarity is on the way.

It's worth bringing this up with an oncologist to understand whether this approach might be relevant to a specific situation, as treatment plans are highly individualized based on tumor type, stage, and overall health.

October 27

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