Nursing management considerations with trastuzumab (herceptin).
OBJECTIVE
To review nursing management consideration for patients with advanced breast cancer who are candidates for trastuzumab.


METHODS
Research articles and the trastuzumab product insert.


CONCLUSIONS
Identification of appropriate candidates for trastuzumab therapy should include a review of HER2 status, previous treatments, presence of comorbid diseases, and determination of cardiac function.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses will manage the administration of trastuzumab. Therefore, they must understand how antibodies work at the cellular level, how to treat infusion-related events, and how to choose the best candidates for biological therapy.
Frankel
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Comprehensive Cancer Research Group/Intercenter Cancer Research Group, Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami Beach, FL, USA.
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D000068878:Trastuzumab
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000068878:Trastuzumab