Trastuzumab in the elderly: Is it age or cardiovascular risk profile that really matters?

e20527 Background: Elderly breast cancer (BC) patients (pts) are usually excluded from clinical trials. Nevertheless, with the increased use of trastuzumab (T) there is a need to assess and predict T-related cardiotoxicity in this population. Methods: Data were collected from women ≥70 years with BC and serial cardiac monitoring treated with T at our institution since 2005. Cardiovascular risk factors (CRF) were analysed together with left ventricular systolic function (LVEF) assessed at baseline and during T. Results: Thirty pts with early (10) or advanced (20) BC, median age 75.7 years (range 70–87), were identified. WHO performance status was 0–1 in 90% of pts. Median duration of treatment was 45 weeks (range 2–87). Basal LVEF was 63.8% (range 46.3–76). Five of 30 pts (16.6%) experienced asymptomatic cardiotoxicity defined as an absolute drop ≥10% with a final LVEF 20% (3.3%, 1/30 pts). Four of 30 patients (13.3%) developed symptomatic cardiac heart failure...