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.

Favorable pregnancy outcome following Trastuzumab (Herceptin) use during pregnancy--Case report and updated literature review.

Shrim A, Garcia-Bournissen F, Maxwell C, Farine D, Koren G

The Motherisk Program, Division of Clinical Pharmacology/Toxicology, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. alon.shrim@gmail.com

BACKGROUND: Trastuzumab (Herceptin) is a monoclonal antibody used for the treatment of breast cancer. Experience with use of this agent during pregnancy, and its possible effects on the fetus, is limited. CASE: We present a case of a patient with breast cancer who was treated with trastuzumab during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. This treatment was associated with reversible maternal heart failure, which resolved slowly after the drug was discontinued, but with no adverse fetal effects and a normal infant examination at the age of 2 months. Updated literature review is discussed.

Published 21 May 2007 in Reprod Toxicol, 23(4): 611-3.
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