Risks of trastuzumab-related cardiotoxicity in breast cancer patients in Taiwan

Abstract

Aims Despite being an essential therapy for breast cancer, trastuzumab has potential risks of cardiotoxicity. The incidence of trastuzumab-related major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) and its predictors remain unknown in Taiwan. Methods and results Through a three-hospital retrospective cohort study, we analyzed the incidence of MACCE in 386 breast cancer patients exposure to trastuzumab from 2010 to 2018. To further reconfirm our findings, in a nationwide study using the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database and National Cancer Registry, we identified 13502 women diagnosed with breast cancer who received chemotherapy from 2010 to 2015 and found 6751 women who received initial treatment with trastuzumab. After 1:1 propensity score matching with trastuzumab nonusers, the incidence of MACCE was measured with a median follow-up of 36 months. In the hospital-based study, among 386 patients receiving trastuzumab, the 5-year incidences of MACCE and heart failure (HF) were 5.4% and 2.8%, respectively. In the national cohort, the crude incidences of MACCEs and HF were 4.67% and 3.21%, respectively. After adjustment for age and comorbidities, the hazard ratio of MACCE was 1.485 (95% CI 1.246–1.769). Notably, among the endpoints, only the hazard ratio of HF was significantly higher in patients receiving trastuzumab than in nonusers. In the subgroup analysis, except for patients also using taxanes, those receiving trastuzumab had a higher risk of MACCE than nonusers. Conclusions From clinical observations in a nationwide cohort, we found an increased risk of MACCE, especially HF, in patients receiving trastuzumab. Given that its cardiotoxicity is independent of traditional cardiovascular risks, our findings highlight critical concerns regarding the cardiac safety of trastuzumab use. FUNDunding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Private hospital(s). Main funding source(s): Chi-Mei Medical Center, National Cheng Kung University Hospital

The association of trastuzumab with atrial fibrillation and heart failure in breast cancer patients in routine clinical practice: a population-based propensity score matching and competing risk model analysis

“…The result was consistent with the previous studies that trastuzumab was associated with increased heart failure incidence. Prior Taiwan NHIRDbased studies have also examined the potential confounding effects of anthracyclines on the cardiotoxicities [19,20]. Chang et al [19] found BC patients receiving trastuzumab had an increased risk of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE), especially HF, a similar but some different outcome endpoint compared to our current study.…”