Late Cardiac Events Rare After Adjuvant Trastuzumab for Breast Cancer

Trastuzumab-related events occurred in a small fraction of patients with HER2-positive disease, and most events occurred early during follow-up.

Cardiac toxicity is a potential effect of trastuzumab-based therapy, particularly when the agent is combined concurrently with anthracyclines. Since an early report demonstrated an increase in cardiac toxicity when trastuzumab-based chemotherapy was combined with doxorubicin for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–positive metastatic breast cancer (JW Oncol Hematol Oct 18 2011), clinicians have largely avoided this combination. However, given the effectiveness of trastuzumab for patients with HER-positive disease, assessment of the cardiac effects of trastuzumab combination therapy has continued.

In the prior National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) B-31 trial (J Clin Oncol 2005; 23:7811), investigators compare…

Reviewing Author

William J. Gradishar, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardLilly; AstraZeneca; Gilead

Grant/Research SupportBreast Cancer Research Foundation

Editorial BoardsClinical Breast Cancer; Oncology; Annals of Surgery; Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNational Comprehensive Cancer Network (Chair, Breast Cancer Panel); American Board of Internal Medicine (Medical Oncology Board)