Safety and efficacy evaluation of pertuzumab in patients with solid tumors

The development of targeted therapies benefits patients with certain markers in the treatment of breast cancer. Pertuzumab is a novel humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) dimerization. The Food and Drug Administration has approved pertuzumab in combination with trastuzumab and docetaxel for the treatment of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.

To assess the safety and efficacy profile of pertuzumab, we searched PubMed and Embase (articles from January 1966 to January 2015) using the keyword "pertuzumab".

Fourteen eligible studies were included in our final analysis. From the results of our analysis, diarrhea (56.9%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 49.6%-63.9%), nausea (34.0%, 95% CI 27.7%-40.8%), and rash (25.6%, 95% CI 20.8%-31.0%) were the most common adverse effects in pertuzumab alone and pertuzumab-based therapies. Based on randomized controlled clinical trials, diarrhea (odds ratio [OR] 2.310, 95% CI 1.818-2.936), rash (OR 1.848, 95% CI 1.094-3.122), and febrile neutropenia (OR 1.672, 95% CI 1.130-2.474) were of statistical significance, which meant that pertuzumab played a prominent role in the incidence of diarrhea. Meanwhile, pertuzumab showed its effective role in cancer control and lifetime prolongation.

In conclusion, considering that the common adverse effects for pertuzumab are gastrointestinal and skin toxicities, which are easier to handle than other toxicities, pertuzumab is a safe and effective drug for patients with solid tumors.