ERBB2 and neoplasm: Gonzalez-Angulo et al (2005) studied predictive factors for distant metastasis in 226 patients with pCR. Although HER2 positivity was not a significant predictor of distant metastasis, HER2 status was unknown in 58% of the patients, and only 5% received taxane-based chemotherapy. Interactions between HER2 status and paclitaxel have been reported in an adjuvant setting, especially among patients with ER-negative tumours (Hayes et al, 2007).