Herceptin as a single agent in the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospectively study was to assess the clinical efficacy and toxicity of Herceptin as a single agent in the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). METHODS: We retrospectively included and analyzed 31 metastasis breast cancer patients in our patient database. All of the included 31 patients were pathology confirmed of breast carcinoma with remote metastases and treated with Herceptin as a single agent. The clinical efficacy and drug-related toxicity were analyzed. RESULTS: No complete response patients were observed for 31 cases. And 8 (26%) reached partial response 16 (52%) with stable disease. The objective response rate of the 31 patients was 23%. We further divided the 31 cases into three subgroups according to the treatment modality. The objective response rate was 36%, 14%, and 17% for the first-line, second-line, and third-line treatment modality, respectively. The objective response rate was not statistical different among the three subgroups (P > 0.05). The main drug-related adverse event were asthenia, chills, diarrhea, nausea, hypotension and dizziness with their incidence of 68%, 26%, 13%, 10%, 10%, and 6%, respectively, for each patients. CONCLUSION: Herceptin as a single agent was effective and safe in the treatment of patients with MBC.