[Jean]

jjames,
As NanaJoni said, a patient is tested during treatment and monitored for obvious signs of heart stress related issues. Before you start treatment you usually have a muga test to have a baseline.

Updated results on the drug's cardiac risk over time have also resulted in a risk profile that should help determine which patients might want to steer clear of Herceptin. For instance, women who were older, used hypertensive medications and had a low normal baseline left ventricular ejection-fraction were more likely to develop heart failure while taking the drug.

This latest study, reported at the American Society for Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago, found that after five years, the incidence of heart failure was 3.8 percent. With an additional two years of follow-up for a cumulative five years, the incidence of heart failure in the available group numbers was essentially unchanged. There was a substantial recovery in cardiac function in all three groups who had clinically relevant declines in heart function.

I have to wonder out of the percent of 3.8 women how many had a previous risk, how many had A/C chemo with the herceptin (that is no longer done)

Kind Regards,
Jean