RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Trastuzumab is humanized monoclonal antibody targeting her 2 neu receptor, overexpressed in 20% of breast cancers and part of the complex of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor. AIM: To review new advances in the knowledge of the practical use of "trastuzumab (Herceptin ®)" in breast cancer. METHODS: Review of literature using medical data bases (Medline, Science direct) with the following key words: breast cancer, targeted therapy, HER2 neu, transtuzumab/herceptine RESULTS: Trastuzumab represent an important advance in breast cancer treatment with an improvement of median survival in metastatic setting and overall and disease-free survival in adjuvant setting in association with chemotherapy. Herceptin remain well tolerated with a low and rare risk of cardiac failure. CONCLUSION: Trastuzumab is a new therapeutic tool very interesting to ameliorate prognosis of breast cancer.