Retrospective efficacy and side effect evaluation in adjuvant trastuzumab therapy in breast cancer

Objective: Trastuzumab, a recombinant monoclonal antibody against Her2, is the primary treatment for Her2 positive breast cancer treatment. The aim of this study were evaluating the efficacy and side effects of trastuzumab in adjuvant use. Method: Her2 positive early stage breast cancer cases which were diagnosed in Akdeniz University Faculty of Medical Oncology Department between 2010-2015 and trastuzumab treatment taken were reviewed retrospectively. All cases were evaluated for demographic, clinical, pathological, treatment, side effects and survival data. Results: Ninety three patients were included for the study. A total of 89 (93.5%) patients completed trastuzumab treatment 1 year. Four patients (4,3%) ceased treatment because of the following side effects: pulmonary embolism in 1 patient (1.07%), cardiotoxicity in other three patients (3,22%). In our study 2 patients progression was detected in the second year of diagnosis. Thirty six months disease free survival was 97%, calculated mean progression free survival time was 84.1 months. In the study only 1 patient died due to pulmonary embolism, overal survival was 98% and calculated mean overal survival time was 85.1 months. Conclusion: The results suggest that trastuzumab as adjuvant therapy for early breast cancer may be effectively and safely. In this study, the efficacy and side eff