Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40552247›Full record

ArticleBMJ oncology2025

Reduced duration adjuvant trastuzumab in the treatment of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled non-inferiority trials including IPD data.

Helena M Earl, Louise Hiller, Janet A Dunn, Mubarak Patel, PierFranco Conte, Roberto D'Amico, Valentina Guarneri, Heikki Joensuu, Teppo Huttunen, Dora Hatzidaki and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Helena M EarlDepartment of Oncology, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1549-8094
Louise HillerWarwick Clinical Trials Unit, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8538-9163
Janet A DunnWarwick Clinical Trials Unit, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
Mubarak PatelWarwick Clinical Trials Unit, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
PierFranco ConteIstituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, Padua, Italy.
Roberto D'AmicoDepartment of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
Valentina GuarneriIstituto Oncologico Veneto IRCCS, Padua, Italy.
Heikki JoensuuHUS Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Teppo HuttunenEstiMates, Turku, Finland.
Dora HatzidakiLaboratory of Translational Oncology, Hellenic Oncology Research Group, University of Crete School of Medicine, Heraklion, Greece.
Vassilis GeorgouliasLaboratory of Translational Oncology, Hellenic Oncology Research Group, University of Crete School of Medicine, Heraklion, Greece.
Jean E AbrahamDepartment of Oncology, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK.
David MilesMedical Oncology, Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, Northwood, UK.
David A CameronEdinburgh Cancer Research Centre, Edinburgh, UK.
Andrew M WardleyCancer Services, Manchester, UK.
Xavier PivotInstitut de Cancerologie Strasbourg Europe, Strasbourg, France.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: Adjuvant trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy has significantly improved survival in patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer but, since introduction in 2005, the 12 months duration has been questioned and trials have tested shorter durations. Methods and analysis: A systematic review and meta-analysis using individual patient data (IPD) (when available) from non-inferiority trials of reduced duration trastuzumab was carried out according to PRISMA-IPD guidelines. Primary outcome was invasive disease-free survival (IDFS); secondary outcomes were distant relapse-free survival (DRFS) and overall survival (OS). Estimated survival was calculated using random-effects and fixed-effects modelling, reported by 5 year rates and analysed using non-inferiority methods. Illustrative comparative risks were also tabled as in Cochrane Systematic Reviews. Results: Five trials were identified: PERSEPHONE, PHARE and HORG compared 12 months (m) with 6 m; SOLD and Short-HER compared 12 m with 9 weeks. In the 5-trial analysis (11 389 patients), and in the SOLD and Short-HER (3428 patients) analysis, non-inferiority of the shorter duration was not confirmed. In contrast, for the comparison of 12 m versus 6 m (7961 patients), non-inferiority was confirmed with a 2.5% critical margin, for IDFS, DRFS and OS. The Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated overlap of credibility intervals throughout follow-up. For every 1000 patients given 6 m trastuzumab, by 5 years, there might be 11 extra IDFS events (in addition to 141 expected for 12 m), 12 more DRFS events (in addition to 106) and nine more deaths (in addition to 73). Conclusions: We have demonstrated that 6 m trastuzumab in early HER2-positive breast cancer is not inferior to 12 m and is an option for patients. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020172267.

Indexed as

Adjuvant therapyBreast cancer (female)Health economics

Identifiers

PMID40552247
PMCPMC12184350

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.