Herceptin Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Herceptin, including details on side-effects, breast cancer, treatment, therapy. | ||||||||
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Serum HER2 levels are increased in patients with chronic heart failure.Perik PJ, de Vries EG, Gietema JA, van der Graaf WT, Smilde TD, Sleijfer DT, van Veldhuisen DJ Department of Cardiology, Thorax Center, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen. P.O. Box 30 001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Oncology of the University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands. BACKGROUND: The use of trastuzumab, an antibody against the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), in patients with HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer, is related to cardiotoxicity. AIMS: To investigate whether serum HER2 is increased in heart failure patients and related to disease severity. METHODS: Serum HER2, plasma tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and its soluble (s) receptors (sTNF-R1 and 2) were determined with ELISA in chronic heart failure patients and age and gender-matched healthy controls. RESULTS: Serum HER2 was higher (P=0.013) in 50 heart failure patients (18 female; median age 57 (range 33-77) years), mean 12.1+/-S.D. 2.3 ng/mL, than in 15 controls, 10.4+/-2.6 ng/mL. Serum HER2 levels correlated inversely with left ventricular ejection fraction (P=0.037) and were highest among NYHA class III patients, followed by NYHA class II patients and controls (P=0.029, Kruskal-Wallis test). STNF-R1 (P<.001) and sTNF-R2 (P=0.015) were higher in patients than controls, and correlated positively with HER2 (P=0.027 and P=0.036, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Serum HER2 levels are increased in chronic heart failure patients. Further research is necessary to determine whether HER2 plays a role in the pathophysiology of heart failure. Published 19 February 2007 in Eur J Heart Fail, 9(2): 173-177.
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