Lapatinib in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer: profile report.

摘要

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and is the leading cause of malignancy-related death in women worldwide. Breast cancer development and tumor progression are governed by complex interactions between hormone receptors (HRs) [estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor] and the human epidermal growth factor receptor family of receptors. The human epidermal growth factor receptor family includes four subtypes: HER1 (also termed EGFR or ErbB1), HER2 (ErbB2), HER3 (ErbB3) and HER4 (ErbB4).