Dr Eljertsen speaks with ecancertv at SABCS 2016 about a trial regimen for the treatment of early breast cancer, of 3 cycles of epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (EC) before 3 cycles of docetaxel and cyclophosphamide (CD), compared to 6 cycles of the latter.

He describes the addition of anthracyclin treatment as having no clinical benefit for patients with a non-mutated TOP2 gene, resulting only in increased toxicity.

Given that Dr Eljertsen estimates only 15% of tumours express a TOP2a mutation, added anthracyclin treatment ought to be deferred in the majority of patients.