Pertuzumab for the treatment of breast cancer: a safety review

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Approximately twenty to thirty percent of newly diagnosed breast cancers are human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive. The use of trastuzumab, and more recently pertuzumab, has significantly improved the progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in this patient population. However, pertuzumab has side effects that can impact treatment tolerability and quality of life.

Areas covered: This review describes the safety and tolerability of pertuzumab, a monoclonal antibody targeted at HER2 approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the neoadjuvant and first line metastatic settings.

Expert opinion: The combination of trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and chemotherapy is approved in the neoadjuvant and first line metastatic settings and should be strongly considered by providers. Further studies are needed to look at side effect prevention, novel pertuzumab containing regimens, and re-treating patients with pertuzumab.

KEYWORDS:

• Pertuzumab
• trastuzumab
• monoclonal antibody
• HER2
• CLEOPATRA
• TRYPHAENA
• NeoSphere

Declaration of interest

S Swain has received honorarium and consulting and travel compensation from Genentech/Roche. S Swain’s institution has received research funding from Genentech. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed