title: Anthracycline-trastuzumab regimens for HER2/neu-overexpressing breast cancer: current experience and future strategies.
abstract: Anthracycline-trastuzumab-containing regimens demonstrate significant clinical activity in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer; however, the utility of this strategy is limited by unacceptably high rates of significant cardiotoxicity, particularly with concurrent administration. Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is thought to be mediated primarily through increased myocardial oxidative stress, modified partly by the activity of neuregulins. Trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity is thought to be mediated by the ErbB/neuregulin system, with exposure to trastuzumab partly blocking the protective effect of neuregulins on the myocardium. As a result, trastuzumab increases the risk of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. Several strategies have been adopted in attempts to minimize cardiotoxicity, including patient selection on the basis of preexisting cardiac risk, monitoring of cardiac function during treatment, and early management of cardiac dysfunction. The use of less cardiotoxic anthracyclines may be one strategy to lessen the risk of cardiotoxicity. Liposomal doxorubicin products offer similar efficacy compared with conventional doxorubicin, with significantly less cardiotoxicity, and have been successfully used in combination with trastuzumab in the metastatic and neo-adjuvant setting. Clinical trials are currently underway to assess the safety of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin during concurrent administration with trastuzumab compared with standard sequential treatment using conventional doxorubicin in the adjuvant setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. daniel.rayson@cdha.nshealth.ca
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rayson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Richel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chia
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jackisch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van der Vegt
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suter
mesh_terms: D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000379:methods; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018943:Anthracyclines; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D004317:Doxorubicin; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab