Your healthcare team will monitor your heart so that potential side effects from Herceptin can be seen early and properly treated. Your doctor will check for signs of heart problems before, during, and after treatment with Herceptin.
Heart monitoring means you will get a medical test every few months with a scan that shows if your heart function has changed since starting Herceptin. Your heart function will be tested with an echo* or MUGA† scan.
Talk to your doctor about which signs and symptoms you may see while taking Herceptin.
*An echo scan is an ultrasound image of the heart; also called an “echocardiogram.”
†MUGA scan is a commonly used test that takes a moving picture of your heart pumping blood. It requires an injection of a nontoxic radioactive substance.
During Treatment
Your heart will be tested every 3 months for 1 year.
After Treatment
Your heart will be tested every 6 months for at least 2 years.
‡Charts describe what is recommended. You and your healthcare team will decide on the heart-monitoring schedule that works for you.
Get more information about the side effects of Herceptin that could be signs of heart problems.
Some patients receiving HERCEPTIN for breast cancer had the following side effects:
You should contact your doctor immediately if you have any of the side effects listed above.
Herceptin Prescribing Information. Genentech, Inc. February 2021.
Herceptin Prescribing Information. Genentech, Inc. February 2021.
FDA Approval Letter. Herceptin. September 25, 1998. At: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/appletter/1998/trasgen092598L.pdf. Accessed June 24, 2019.
FDA Approval Letter. Herceptin. September 25, 1998. At: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/appletter/1998/trasgen092598L.pdf. Accessed June 24, 2019.
Jackisch C. HER-2-positive metastatic breast cancer: optimizing trastuzumab-based therapy. Oncologist. 2006;11(suppl 1):34-41. At: http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/content/11/suppl_1/34.full.pdf+html. Accessed June 24, 2019.
Jackisch C. HER-2-positive metastatic breast cancer: optimizing trastuzumab-based therapy. Oncologist. 2006;11(suppl 1):34-41. At: http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/content/11/suppl_1/34.full.pdf+html. Accessed June 24, 2019.
Slamon DJ, Leyland-Jones B, Shak S, et al. Use of chemotherapy plus a monoclonal antibody against HER2 for metastatic breast cancer that overexpresses HER2. N Engl J Med. 2001;344(11):783-792. At: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM200103153441101. Accessed June 24, 2019.
Slamon DJ, Leyland-Jones B, Shak S, et al. Use of chemotherapy plus a monoclonal antibody against HER2 for metastatic breast cancer that overexpresses HER2. N Engl J Med. 2001;344(11):783-792. At: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM200103153441101. Accessed June 24, 2019.
Marty M, Cognetti F, Maraninchi D, et al; for the M77001 Study Group. Randomized Phase II trial of the efficacy and safety of trastuzumab combined with docetaxel in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive metastatic breast cancer administered as first-line treatment: the M77001 Study Group. J Clin Oncol. 2005;23(19):4265-4274. At: https://ascopubs.org/doi/pdf/10.1200/JCO.2005.04.173. Accessed June 24, 2019.
Marty M, Cognetti F, Maraninchi D, et al; for the M77001 Study Group. Randomized Phase II trial of the efficacy and safety of trastuzumab combined with docetaxel in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive metastatic breast cancer administered as first-line treatment: the M77001 Study Group. J Clin Oncol. 2005;23(19):4265-4274. At: https://ascopubs.org/doi/pdf/10.1200/JCO.2005.04.173. Accessed June 24, 2019.
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