Editor's Note: The 47th San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) will be held from December 10 to 13, 2024, in San Antonio, USA. As one of the largest and most prestigious scientific gatherings in breast cancer research, SABCS showcases the latest research findings, clinical practices, treatment advancements, and technological innovations in breast cancer from the past year.

The treatment landscape for HER2-positive breast cancer in China has rapidly entered the dual-targeted therapy era since 2019. In this evolving setting, large-scale real-world data on the treatment characteristics of breast cancer, particularly HR+/HER2+ early-stage breast cancer, remain limited. At this year’s SABCS, Dr. Zhenzhen Liu and her team from Henan Cancer Hospital presented a large-scale real-world study based on the Chinese National Cancer Information Database. The study evaluates the neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment patterns and clinical outcomes of different therapeutic regimens for HR+/HER2+ early breast cancer in China [1]. Oncology Frontier invited Dr. Zhenzhen Liu to provide an in-depth commentary on the study’s findings and its clinical significance.

Dr. Zhenzhen Liu：This is the first and largest real-world study in China focusing on the current diagnosis and treatment of HR+/HER2+ early-stage breast cancer. The participating hospitals cover almost all regions of China, and the large sample size reflects the characteristics and treatment trends of HR+/HER2+ early breast cancer patients across the country.

In reality, due to differences in screening accessibility, economic conditions, and treatment philosophies, Chinese breast cancer patients are often diagnosed at later stages compared to patients in Europe and the United States. A higher proportion of patients are diagnosed at stage II-III, with many presenting with locally advanced disease. Under such circumstances, implementing a “neoadjuvant treatment” strategy becomes especially critical. It can help downstage tumors and improve long-term survival outcomes for Chinese breast cancer patients.

The study highlights that the dual-targeted therapy with trastuzumab and pertuzumab has become the most widely used neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment regimen for HER2-positive breast cancer in China. It is hoped that the findings of this study will serve as a valuable reference for clinical practices and new drug development strategies in China. By promoting standardized treatment protocols, we can bring greater benefits to patients.

Zhenzhen Liu

• Director of the Breast Surgery Department, Henan Cancer Hospital
• Director, Henan Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Center
• Member, Breast Cancer Committee, National Cancer Quality Control Center
• Member, Breast Cancer Group, Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO)
• Member, Breast Surgery Group, Chinese Medical Association Surgery Branch
• Deputy Group Leader, Breast Cancer Expert Working Group, Chinese Medical Doctor Association Surgery Branch
• Standing Member, Breast Cancer Professional Committee, China Anti-Cancer Association
• Standing Member, Breast Cancer Expert Committee, Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology
• Chair, Breast Cancer Expert Committee, Henan Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Quality Control Center
• Incoming Chair, Breast Disease Branch, Henan Medical Association