How common is heart damage with Herceptin® (trastuzumab)?
In the initial study of trastuzumab in patient with metastatic breast cancer, serious cardiac damage with congestive heart failure was seen in 19 percent of patients who received it concurrently with Adriamycin® (doxorubicin) and cyclophosphamide. However, when used by itself or with drugs such as Taxol® (paclitaxel), cardiac damage is under 4 percent. In many cases, this damage is reversible. Some of these patients can even be re-challenged with trastuzumab to complete their intended prescribed therapy.
