[Herceptin as a single agent in patients with HER2 overexpressing metastatic breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and adverse reactions of Herceptin as a single agent in patients with HER2 overexpressing metastatic breast cancer.


METHODS
There were two kinds of therapy protocol. One was loading-dose of 4 mg/kg intravenously, followed by a 2 mg/kg maintenance dose of weekly intervals. The other was loading-dose of 8 mg/kg, followed by 6 mg/kg of every three weeks intervals.


RESULTS
Among 20 patients with evaluated efficacy, there was no complete response, 5 patients (25.0%) showed partial response (PR), 5 (25.0%) stable disease (SD) and 10 (50.0%) progressive disease (PD). Of 22 patients, the overall response rate was 22.7%. The median time of disease progression and treatment failure was 6 weeks and 6.5 weeks, respectively. The most common adverse reactions were fever and chill. Cardiac symptoms could be seen in some patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Herceptin is an active agent for the patients with HER2 overexpressing metastatic breast cancer and the adverse events are well tolerated.
Wang
Tao
T
Department of Breast Cancer, Hospital Affiliated Academy of Military Medical Science, Beijing 100039, China.
Jiang
Ze-fei
ZF
Song
San-tai
ST
Liu
Xiao-qing
XQ
Yu
Jing-xin
JX
Liu
Fang
F
Yan
Min
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D000068878:Trastuzumab
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab