IN THE SPOTLIGHT Activating Mutations in HER2 : Neu Opportunities and Neu Challenges

Authors’ Affi liation: Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York Corresponding Author: Jorge S. Reis-Filho, Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065. Phone: 212-639-8054; Fax: 212-772-8521; E-mail: reisfi lj@ mskcc.org doi: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-12-0585 ©2012 American Association for Cancer Research. Summary: Twenty-fi ve years after the publication of seminal studies showing that HER2 gene amplifi cation and protein overexpression are oncogenic in breast cancer, Bose and colleagues report on the identifi cation of activating HER2 somatic mutations that, albeit rare, may determine the response of breast cancer cells to anti-HER2 agents. These results herald a new era for the potential use of existing HER2-targeted agents for the treatment of patients with HER2 -mutant breast cancer. Cancer Discov; 3(2); 145–7. ©2012 AACR.