Abstract Herceptin (trastuzamab, Genentech, San Francisco, CA, USA) prolongs survival in
metastatic breast cancer patients whose tumours overexpress the HER2/neu protein.
Compared with chemotherapy alone, patients receiving chemotherapy and Herceptin have
a significantly longer time to progression, a higher response rate and a longer duration of
response. These effects are most marked in first-line treatment of metastatic disease. The
addition of Herceptin is associated with few additional side-effects, apart from cardiac toxicity …