Hormone receptor positivity, low burden of disease, metastasis to soft and bone tissues, and surgical management with resection of the metastatic site and the primary tumor were linked with long-term survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer who received anti-HER2 treatment, according to a study involving more than 1,000 individuals.

Participants were grouped according long-term and overall survival of ≥5 years or <5 years. Among the results:

• 15% were categorized as long-term survivors, with a median overall survival of ~92 months.

• Among them, ~two-thirds were HR-positive and one-third had de novo stage IV disease.

• Hormone receptor positivity, resection of metastases, and primary breast surgery in patients with de novo stage IV were linked with improved long-term survival.

• Greater number of metastatic sites and visceral metastases correlated with poor survival.

Citation: Harano K, Lei X, Gonzalez-Angulo A, et al. Clinicopathological and surgical factors associated with long-term survival in patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2016;159(2):367-374. doi:10.1007/s10549-016-3933-6.