Checklist for Nurses

This checklist includes important information for you to review with your HER2+ breast cancer patients who are new to Herceptin (trastuzumab), either in the adjuvant or metastatic settings. The topics noted are explored in depth in Herceptin patient education materials designed for patient take-home use.

To help ensure that you have covered important issues with your patient, you may wish to check off topics as you discuss them. You may also wish to include this sheet in your patient's file as a record of your discussion.

Herceptin patient education checklist

  • Explanation of Herceptin
  • Herceptin is a monoclonal antibody, also known as a biologic therapy-it is not a chemotherapy.
  • It is used to treat a certain type of breast cancer, called HER2+ breast cancer.
  • Dosing, administration, and duration
  • You will receive Herceptin once every ____ days (either every 7 or 21 days) for duration of _____.
  • Herceptin is given by intravenous (IV) infusion, which means that it comes through a needle that your nurse inserts into a vein.
  • Your first infusion includes a slightly larger dose than subsequent infusions, and may last a little bit longer.
    • The first infusion usually takes about 90 minutes, but it may be slowed or stopped if you experience discomfort from side effects.
    • If the first infusion was well tolerated, later infusions can be given over 30 minutes.
  • Herceptin may be given along with other therapies, such as chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or radiation therapy, as recommended by your doctor.
  • It's important to take Herceptin for the full time recommended by your doctor.
    • In the adjuvant setting: Herceptin should be taken either once each week or once every three weeks for a full year.
    • In the metastatic setting: Herceptin should be given until the tumor grows larger or spreads to other areas of the body.
  • While on Herceptin, you should be monitored for decreasing heart function before, during and after treatment.
  • Side effects
  • Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following: new or worsening shortness of breath; cough; swelling of the ankles or legs; swelling of the face; heartbeats that are unusually strong, fast, slow, or irregular in rhythm; weight gain of more than five pounds in 24 hours; dizziness; or loss of consciousness.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • When you receive the first dose of Herceptin, you may have chills and fever as well as nausea, vomiting, pain, headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, low blood pressure, rash, and weakness. These side effects are usually mild to moderate in severity.
  • 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.
  • Herceptin insurance support information
  • Herceptin Access Solutions™ and the Genentech® Access to Care Foundation (GATCF) may help with insurance questions and may assist qualified patients to receive Herceptin.
    • Herceptin Access Solutions: 1-888-249-4918
    • GATCF: 1-800-530-3083
  • Patient and caregiver support and information
  • Professional organizations can help patients and their caregivers.
  • Healthcare provider contact information
  • Call our office with emergencies or questions at (____) _____________.

For a downloadable version of this information, please visit our For Nurses download page.



Herceptin® (trastuzumab)Herceptin® (trastuzumab)