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All for HER Profile

    • Suzanne Perez
    • 2008 South Region Winner
    • Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center
    • Houston, TX

Nomination Information (excerpts)

How does the nurse you are nominating go above and beyond his or her normal duties for patients with HER2+ breast cancer?
She provides a warm, trusting human connection to women that may be fearful and are experiencing their struggle with breast cancer as a technology driven, fragmented journey. This connection is achieved through deeds and actions as well as intrinsic empathy, unconditional caring, and patience. Importantly, as the clinical nurse manager of a breast center, her presence has a positive modeling and rippling effect on others in the center, establishing an atmosphere and culture absorbed and reflected by others that work there. While requirements for the job are a substantial degree of professional nursing and administrative competence, it is the above, difficult to measure qualities, that are immediately recognized by patients. Based on their comments, and observable changes in demeanor, outlook, and emotional security, these qualities in Suzanne distinguish the breast cancer care that they experience.

How does the nurse encourage his or her patients to stay on therapy?
She spends individual time with each patient, helping them understand their treatment and what to expect, which encourages long term compliance. Much of her time is spent being physically present in clinic and the infusion suite, directly interacting and providing support for patients. Knowing that they have someone on their team rooting for them, encourages them to continue to the "finish". She does not give up on her patients, which know they are receiving the therapy they need.

What are the nurse's greatest strengths in teaching, relating to, and caring for his or her patients?
Patients feel that she is thinking directly about them and focusing on their needs. She will take on the especially challenging patient in a one on one situation. She regularly returns phone calls after hours, demonstrating a disciplined persistence and establishing a feeling of trust and reliability. She speaks on their level, as a partner in their care.

Is there any additional information you'd like to share about the nurse you are nominating?
Suzanne has been the nursing leader of our Center for 7 years. She has represented patients interests through a variety of institutional changes. With these challenges, her resolve and work ethic strengthen to meet the occasion. Her values help define a process and culture, multiplying her efforts several fold.

If known, indicate the number of years your nurse has been in practice.
20

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