EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY
OF TRASTUZUMAB (HERCEPTIN) IN A
CONSECUTIVE SERIES OF METASTATIC BREAST CANCER PATIENTS.
Sandra Horowitz, Laura Michaud, Jodi Wojdylo and Michelle Gauthier,
The
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard,
Houston, TX 77030.
It is estimated that 5-10% of women with breast cancer
have metastic disease at
the time of diagnosis, and those who do not, approximately 50% will eventually
develop metastases. As metastatic breast cancer is generally considered
incurable, the goals of therapy are to palliate symptoms and improce quality
of
life. To this end, a great deal of research has been conducted to find
therapies
that preferentially act upon cancer cells while sparring normal tissue.
Trastuzumab (Herceptin) is one of the results of this "targeted therapy"
research. In clinical studies, the use of trastuzumab has been associated
with
promising efficacy and relatively minimal toxicity (with the exception
of
cardiotoxicity).
The primary objective of our study is to better characterize
the efficacy and
toxicity profile of trastuzumab when given either alone or in combination
regimens, Additionally, we hope to identify variables that may predispose
patients to trastuzumab associated toxicities, in particular, cardiotoxcity,
data
will be obtained vie retrospective chart reviews of one hundred and twenty
eligible consecutive patients with metastatic breast cancer who received
trastuzumb at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center between December 1, 1998 and
July 5, 1999.
Post marketing surveillance is crucial in better characterizing
the efficacy and
toxicities associated with trastuzmab. In turn, this information can help
to ensure
proper patient selection and appropriate monitoring for trastuzumab therapy.
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