title: Severe thrombocytopenia related to trastuzumab infusion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Trastuzumab is a humanized, monoclonal antibody that interferes with the HER2/neu receptor and binds selectively to the HERB2 protein which causes uncontrolled proliferation of malignant breast cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case of severe thrombocytopenia related to trastuzumab administration. Three days after the first dose of single-agent trastuzumab, the patient was admitted to the hospital with nose bleeding, petechiae and platelet counts of 5 × 10⁹/L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The patient showed a self-limiting trastuzumab-related thrombocytopenia. Among the reported cases of trastuzumab-induced severe thrombocytopenia, this patient is the only one who did not interrupt trastuzumab treatment. It is possible that our patient showed progressive reduction of immune-mediated thrombocytopenia caused by trastuzumab administration.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mantzourani
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gogas
authors.forename: Aikaterini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katsandris
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meletis
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human