More than 9 years of continuous trastuzumab treatment in metastatic breast cancer without cardiac toxicity: a case report and literature review

Abstract

Florin Badulescu,1 Adriana Badulescu,2 Doru Paul,3 Carmen Florina Popescu,4 Cristina Florescu5 1Department of Oncology, Universitatea de Medicina si Farmacie, Craiova, Romania; 2Department of Surgery, Universitatea Titu Maiorescu, Bucuresti, Romania; 3Monter Cancer Center, North Shore LIJ Cancer Institute, Lake Success, NY, USA; 4Department of Pathology, Spitalul Universitar Clinic de Urgenta, Craiova, Romania; 5Department of Cardiology, Universitatea de Medicina si Farmacie, Craiova, Romania Abstract: The main concern of long-term use of trastuzumab remains its association with potential cardiac side effects. Although these side effects are real, they are probably overemphasized. We report the case of a woman with metastatic breast cancer, who is currently in complete remission, and who received trastuzumab continuously for more than 9 years, without any significant cardiac toxicity. Keywords: metastatic breast cancer, long survival, trastuzumab