Trastuzumab cardiac toxicity: a problem we put our heart into.
Trastuzumab has gained a central role in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer, revolutionizing care in this setting. However, since the beginning of its use there have been concerns about its cardiac safety. Trastuzumab can give rise to cardiac toxicity, in some cases leading to discontinuation of treatment. Growing evidence shows that trastuzumab toxicity can be detected early or averted by means of new chemotherapy regimens using different anthracycline formulations or avoiding anthracyclines altogether. Moreover, patients in whom cardiac toxicity develops can be treated effectively and full cardiac function can be restored thanks to progress in drug management. Knowing the characteristics and proper management of trastuzumab toxicity is of paramount importance to grant patients in this setting the best available treatment.
Medical Oncology Unit 1, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Genoa - Italy.
Giacomo
G
Bregni
Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan - Italy.
Giulia
G
Galli
Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan - Italy.
Arpine
A
Gevorgyan
Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan - Italy.
Filippo
F
de Braud
Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan - Italy.
Serena
S
Di Cosimo
D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D066126:Cardiotoxicity; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors; D000068878:Trastuzumab / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*
D018943:Anthracyclines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human