Systematic evaluation and meta-analysis of Herceptin® (trastuzumab) in the treatment and care of breast cancer

Breast cancer remains the most prevalent malignancy among women worldwide and poses both biomedical and psychosocial challenges. Trastuzumab (Herceptin®), a monoclonal antibody targeting the HER2 receptor, has transformed the prognosis of patients with HER2-positive disease. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized data from 19 eligible studies including 9735 patients to evaluate trastuzumab’s efficacy, safety, and implications for patient care. The pooled analysis demonstrated significant improvements in overall survival, disease-free survival, progression-free survival, and overall response rate compared with standard therapy, with hazard ratios consistently favoring trastuzumab. Most adverse effects were mild to moderate, though cardiac toxicity remains a critical concern requiring vigilant monitoring. Beyond these biomedical outcomes, the findings carry important psycho-oncological implications: improved survival helps reduce fear of recurrence and psychological distress, while manageable toxicity and supportive nursing care enhance treatment adherence and quality of life. These results underscore trastuzumab’s dual role as both a therapeutic cornerstone and a psychosocially meaningful intervention. Future research should integrate patient-reported outcomes, resilience measures, and cost-effectiveness analyses to ensure that survival benefits translate into comprehensive improvements in the lived experiences of patients with breast cancer. Such integration will help position trastuzumab not only as a biomedical intervention but also as a psycho-oncological strategy to support holistic survivorship.