Herceptin Does Not Increase Heart Failure in Patients Long-Term, University of Pittsburgh Study Finds

CHICAGO, June 3 – Risk of congestive heart failure in women treated with trastuzumab (Herceptin) and combination chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer did not increase over time according to a five-year follow-up of National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) trial B-31, presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago. Based on the findings, the research team developed a prediction model to help oncologists assess the risk of heart failure in individual breast cancer patients prior to treatment with Herceptin and chemotherapy. Their findings will be announced at the Women’s Cancers press briefing at the meeting and published in Abstract LBA513 in the ASCO proceedings.