Researchers at M.D. Anderson report on long-term cardiac status of patients receiving Herceptin. Trastuzumab (Herceptin), an anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, is highly effective for treating HER2 overexpressing invasive breast cancer. In patients with HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer, Herceptin plus chemotherapy improved disease progression and overall survival compared with chemotherapy alone.

The study included patients who received Herceptin for at least one year. Most patients with Herceptin associated cardiac toxicity recovered completely, and many were re-treated with Herceptin without additional cardiac toxicity. Some patients did not discontinue use of Herceptin despite cardiac dysfunction.

This report suggests that patients who experience Herceptin induced cardiac toxicity should be managed with cardiologists and decisions to continue or resume Herceptin must be made after careful discussion of potential benefits and risks associated with further therapy.