OBJECTIVES: This study explored the effects of early trastuzumab treatment on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), including pooled meta-analysis, in an effort to provide an integrated assessment of HRQoL for Her2-positive early breast cancer patients.

METHODS: A literature review was performed using three databases, focusing on treatment using trastuzumab during the early stage. The mean changes from baseline during and after treatment were extracted from the included RCT papers and cross-sectional HRQoL scores were obtained from observational studies included. Mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence intervals were assessed by a random effect or fixed effect model based on heterogeneity (I²).

RESULTS: A total of seven studies were identified and reviewed, consisting of 5 randomized control trials and 2 cross-sectional studies. The pooled analysis of the mean change from baseline during treatment resulted in an MD of 1.92 (95% CI = 1.59 to 2.25, P < 0.05, I² = 0%), favouring the trastuzumab group. A non-significant result of the mean change from baseline after treatment appeared in the analysis of 12-month follow-up. In the observational studies, pooled analyses of HRQoL showed that trastuzumab meaningfully demonstrated an improved HRQoL profile (MD = 9.29, 95% CI =1.31 to 17.27, P = 0.02, I² = 0%).

CONCLUSIONS: Trastuzumab as a targeted therapy resulted in a favourable effect on HRQoL in the early stages of Her2-positive breast cancer. The findings of significant improvements in patients’ HRQoL and less clinically important deterioration in side effects of trastuzumab-containing regimen during treatment were supported by prolonged survival.