• HER connection
  • Her connection

    Discover a program designed to support patients with knowledge and information about HER2+ breast cancer.

    Three ways to connect:

  • Receive Updates
    Personalized information to support your treatment

  • Support Line
    Call 866.449.HER2 Nurses available 24/7

  • Online Live Chat
    Nurses available Monday-Friday, 8am EST to 8pm EST.

For Caregivers

HER Story - Vicki and Niek

Caring for Someone with Breast Cancer

Family members and friends can play a vital role in helping patients with breast cancer cope with their diagnosis and treatment.

The following are just some of the ways you can help:

  • Go with the patient to their doctor visits. Listen and write down any information the doctor provides. Ask questions. There is no such thing as a silly question when it comes to a loved one's health.
  • Help to keep track of any side effects the patient may be experiencing and report them to the patient's doctor.
  • Assist with any insurance issues that may come up.
  • Give practical support to the patient. Volunteer to run errands, do cooking, housekeeping, etc.
  • Prioritize enjoyable time together with the patient.
  • Communicate with the patient as openly as possible. Listen when the patient wants to talk about their cancer and/or treatment.

When caring for a loved one with breast cancer, it's important to take care of yourself as well. Remember to:

  • Enjoy healthy meals.
  • Stay physically active. Take regular walks, practice yoga, etc.
  • Take a break from the disease each day by enjoying some of your favorite pastimes - watch a movie or read a book.
  • Reach out to your family and friends for support or seek out support services for partners, family and friends of women diagnosed with breast cancer; check the Resources section of this site for more information on these and other cancer organizations

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Who is Herceptin for?

Herceptin is approved for the adjuvant treatment of HER2-overexpressing, node-positive or node-negative (ER/PR-negative or with one high-risk feature)† breast cancer. Herceptin can be used several different ways:

  • As part of a treatment regimen including doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and either paclitaxel or docetaxel
  • With docetaxel and carboplatin
  • As a single agent following multi-modality anthracycline-based therapy

Herceptin in combination with paclitaxel is approved for the first-line treatment of HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer. Herceptin as a single agent is approved for treatment of HER2-overexpressing breast cancer in patients who have received one or more chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease.

† High-risk is defined as ER/PR positive with one of the following features: tumor size >2 cm, age <35 years, or tumor grade 2 or 3.

What important safety information should I know about Herceptin?

Herceptin treatment can result in heart problems, including those without symptoms (reduced heart function) and those with symptoms (congestive heart failure). The risk and seriousness of these heart problems were highest in people who received both Herceptin and a certain type of chemotherapy (anthracycline). Your doctor will stop or strongly consider stopping Herceptin if you have a significant drop in your heart function.

You should be monitored for decreased heart function before your first dose of Herceptin, and frequently during the time you are receiving Herceptin and after your last dose of Herceptin. If you must permanently or temporarily stop Herceptin due to heart problems, you should be monitored more frequently. In one study with Herceptin and certain types of chemotherapy, an inadequate blood supply to the heart occurred.

Some patients have had serious infusion reactions and lung problems; fatal infusion reactions have been reported. In most cases, these reactions occurred during or within 24 hours of receiving Herceptin. Your Herceptin infusion should be temporarily stopped if you have shortness of breath or very low blood pressure. Your doctor will monitor you until these symptoms go away. If you have a severe allergic reaction, swelling, lung problems, inflammation of the lung, or severe shortness of breath, your doctor may need to completely stop your Herceptin treatment.

Worsening of low white blood cell counts associated with chemotherapy has also occurred.

Herceptin can cause low amniotic fluid levels and harm to the fetus when taken by a pregnant woman.

The most common side effects associated with Herceptin were fever, nausea, vomiting, infusion reactions, diarrhea, infections, increased cough, headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, rash, low white and red blood cells, and muscle pain.

Because everyone is different, it is not possible to predict what side effects any one person will have. If you have questions or concerns about side effects, talk to your doctor.

Please see the Herceptin full Prescribing Information including Boxed WARNINGS and additional important safety information.



Herceptin® (trastuzumab)Herceptin® (trastuzumab)

Adjuvant Care Is defined as additional treatment given after the main treatment plan to decrease the chance of recurrence. Adjuvant therapy for breast cancer can include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation therapy, or biological therapy

Metastatic Breast Cancer Breast cancer that has spread to other sites in the body; also referred to as invasive or infiltrating