Safety of Continuing Trastuzumab for Mild Cardiotoxicity: A Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Abstract

The safety of continuing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)–targeted therapy in women with mild cardiotoxicity remains unclear. We performed a retrospective matched cohort study of 14 patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive breast cancer receiving sequential anthracycline and trastuzumab therapy, nested within the Evaluation of Myocardial Changes During Breast Adenocarcinoma Therapy to Detect Cardiotoxicity Earlier With MRI (EMBRACE-MRI) trial. Among patients who developed cardiotoxicity and were treated with heart failure therapy, we compared those who had trastuzumab therapy interrupted to a matched cohort who continued trastuzumab therapy. By a median of 2.5 years of follow-up, no significant differences were present between the groups in the proportion with magnetic resonance imaging–measured left ventricular ejection fraction < 40%, magnetic resonance imaging–measured left ventricular volumes, left ventricular ejection fraction, edema, fibrotic markers, cardiopulmonary fitness, or quality of life.