The CHER-LOB trial is one of several that has demonstrated that adding lapatinib to trastuzumab and chemotherapy improves on the rates of complete pathological response among women receiving neoadjuvant therapy for HER2 positive breast cancer. Because the relationship between pCR and long-term outcomes remains ambiguous, this regimen is not recommended for ordinary use. However, these findings are a powerful support to the hypothesis that dual-modality anti-HER2 therapy is a potent combination.
