TRASTUZUMAB

82/100 · Critical

Manufactured by Genentech, Inc.

Trastuzumab Adverse Events: High Seriousness and Diverse Reactions

130,352 FDA adverse event reports analyzed

Last updated: 2026-05-12

About TRASTUZUMAB

TRASTUZUMAB is a medication tracked in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), manufactured by Genentech, Inc.. Based on analysis of 130,352 FDA adverse event reports, TRASTUZUMAB has a safety score of 82 out of 100. This score indicates a relatively favorable safety profile, with fewer or less severe adverse events compared to many other tracked medications. The most commonly reported adverse reactions for TRASTUZUMAB include DIARRHOEA, ALOPECIA, NAUSEA, FATIGUE, OFF LABEL USE. This page provides a comprehensive breakdown of reported side effects, safety signals, patient demographics, and AI-powered safety analysis for TRASTUZUMAB.

AI Safety Analysis

Trastuzumab has a safety concern score of 82 out of 100, placing it in the high concern category based on analysis of FDA adverse event data. The FDA has received approximately 130,352 adverse event reports for this medication, which is primarily manufactured by Genentech, Inc..

The most commonly reported adverse events include Diarrhoea, Alopecia, Nausea. Of classified reports, 85.3% were designated as serious by the FDA, meaning they involved hospitalization, disability, or other significant medical outcomes. Trastuzumab is associated with a high number of serious adverse events, particularly death and disease progression.

The most common reactions include diarrhea, alopecia, and nausea, indicating a broad range of potential side effects. Cardiotoxicity and pulmonary issues are significant concerns, with multiple reports of cardiac failure and interstitial lung disease.

Patients taking Trastuzumab should monitor for the commonly reported side effects and contact their healthcare provider if they experience any unusual symptoms. Trastuzumab can cause cardiotoxicity and pulmonary issues, and patients should be monitored for these conditions. Drug interactions are not specifically noted in the data. This analysis is based on voluntary FDA adverse event reports and should not replace professional medical advice.

Safety Score: 82/100

Trastuzumab received a safety concern score of 82/100 (high concern). This is based on a 85.3% serious event ratio across 66,263 classified reports. The score accounts for 130,352 total adverse event reports and 100 distinct reaction types. This high score reflects a significant proportion of serious adverse events in the reporting data.

Top Adverse Reactions

DIARRHOEA6,558 reports
ALOPECIA4,968 reports
NAUSEA4,438 reports
FATIGUE4,257 reports
OFF LABEL USE4,173 reports
DEATH3,564 reports
DISEASE PROGRESSION3,446 reports
VOMITING2,965 reports
DYSPNOEA2,786 reports
MYELOSUPPRESSION2,741 reports
PYREXIA2,543 reports
ASTHENIA2,257 reports
NEUTROPENIA2,184 reports
NEUROPATHY PERIPHERAL2,072 reports
PAIN2,043 reports
EJECTION FRACTION DECREASED2,017 reports
ANAEMIA1,886 reports
RASH1,822 reports
HEADACHE1,761 reports
DECREASED APPETITE1,554 reports
FEBRILE NEUTROPENIA1,522 reports
METASTASES TO CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM1,512 reports
HAIR COLOUR CHANGES1,509 reports
HAIR TEXTURE ABNORMAL1,508 reports
MADAROSIS1,425 reports
MALIGNANT NEOPLASM PROGRESSION1,372 reports
HAIR DISORDER1,370 reports
COUGH1,343 reports
CHILLS1,320 reports
MALAISE1,293 reports
ARTHRALGIA1,287 reports
THROMBOCYTOPENIA1,285 reports
PALMAR PLANTAR ERYTHRODYSAESTHESIA SYNDROME1,268 reports
PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA1,263 reports
DRUG INEFFECTIVE1,247 reports
PNEUMONIA1,239 reports
ANXIETY1,174 reports
CONSTIPATION1,162 reports
CARDIOTOXICITY1,124 reports
DIZZINESS1,121 reports
WEIGHT DECREASED1,110 reports
ABDOMINAL PAIN1,082 reports
CARDIAC FAILURE1,054 reports
PRURITUS1,041 reports
WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT DECREASED1,032 reports
BACK PAIN994 reports
STOMATITIS978 reports
PAIN IN EXTREMITY958 reports
MUCOSAL INFLAMMATION928 reports
NO ADVERSE EVENT911 reports
DEHYDRATION907 reports
MYALGIA907 reports
PLATELET COUNT DECREASED907 reports
BREAST CANCER METASTATIC906 reports
PLEURAL EFFUSION877 reports
HYPERTENSION842 reports
ERYTHEMA841 reports
INFUSION RELATED REACTION826 reports
PARAESTHESIA809 reports
URINARY TRACT INFECTION798 reports
EPISTAXIS787 reports
HYPOKALAEMIA782 reports
LEUKOPENIA778 reports
METASTASES TO LIVER777 reports
METASTASES TO BONE750 reports
INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE742 reports
HYPOTENSION731 reports
EMOTIONAL DISTRESS722 reports
HYPOAESTHESIA720 reports
HYPERSENSITIVITY719 reports
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION710 reports
CHEST PAIN708 reports
SEPSIS693 reports
NEOPLASM PROGRESSION689 reports
NEUTROPHIL COUNT DECREASED687 reports
ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE INCREASED673 reports
INSOMNIA667 reports
BREAST CANCER656 reports
OEDEMA PERIPHERAL644 reports
BONE PAIN624 reports
METASTASES TO LUNG614 reports
ASPARTATE AMINOTRANSFERASE INCREASED609 reports
CHEST DISCOMFORT592 reports
TACHYCARDIA577 reports
TREMOR576 reports
PULMONARY EMBOLISM565 reports
DEPRESSION560 reports
INFECTION558 reports
BONE MARROW FAILURE554 reports
NASOPHARYNGITIS552 reports
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY545 reports
HEPATIC FUNCTION ABNORMAL543 reports
ABDOMINAL PAIN UPPER542 reports
INTENTIONAL PRODUCT USE ISSUE528 reports
PNEUMONITIS526 reports
CELLULITIS522 reports
DRY SKIN520 reports
CARDIAC DISORDER513 reports
POLYNEUROPATHY512 reports
IMPAIRED QUALITY OF LIFE498 reports

Key Safety Signals

  • Death and disease progression are among the most serious outcomes reported.
  • Cardiotoxicity and pulmonary issues are key safety signals, with multiple reports of cardiac failure and interstitial lung disease.
  • Neurological issues, including peripheral neuropathy and polyneuropathy, are also notable.

Patient Demographics

Adverse event reports by sex: Female: 53,225, Male: 3,942, Unknown: 472. The most frequently reported age groups are age 54 (1,335 reports), age 58 (1,317 reports), age 55 (1,311 reports). These demographics reflect reporting patterns and may not represent the full patient population.

Report Outcomes

Out of 66,263 classified reports for TRASTUZUMAB:

  • Serious: 56,536 reports (85.3%) — includes hospitalization, disability, life-threatening events, or death
  • Non-Serious: 9,727 reports (14.7%)
Serious 85.3%Non-Serious 14.7%

The FDA classifies an adverse event as “serious” if it results in death, hospitalization, disability, congenital anomaly, or requires intervention to prevent permanent damage.

Demographics Breakdown

Reports by Sex

Female53,225 (92.3%)
Male3,942 (6.8%)
Unknown472 (0.8%)

Reports by Age

Age 541,335 reports
Age 581,317 reports
Age 551,311 reports
Age 601,298 reports
Age 521,283 reports
Age 591,262 reports
Age 511,250 reports
Age 571,231 reports
Age 501,211 reports
Age 621,187 reports
Age 611,161 reports
Age 531,115 reports
Age 561,108 reports
Age 651,092 reports
Age 481,089 reports
Age 491,071 reports
Age 631,045 reports
Age 661,008 reports
Age 64987 reports
Age 47983 reports

Demographics reflect voluntary FDA adverse event reporting patterns and may not represent the full patient population.

Drug Interactions & Warnings

Trastuzumab can cause cardiotoxicity and pulmonary issues, and patients should be monitored for these conditions. Drug interactions are not specifically noted in the data.

What You Should Know

If you are taking Trastuzumab, here are important things to know. The most commonly reported side effects include diarrhoea, alopecia, nausea, fatigue, off label use. While many of these may be mild and temporary, you should contact your healthcare provider if any symptoms are severe or persistent. Monitor for signs of cardiotoxicity and pulmonary issues, such as shortness of breath and chest pain. Report any adverse events to your healthcare provider promptly. If you experience a serious adverse reaction, seek emergency medical attention immediately or call 911. You can report side effects to the FDA's MedWatch program at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Regulatory Context

The FDA continues to monitor trastuzumab for safety, particularly for serious outcomes like death and disease progression. Patients should report any adverse events to their healthcare provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many adverse event reports has the FDA received for Trastuzumab?

The FDA has received approximately 130,352 adverse event reports associated with Trastuzumab. These reports come from healthcare professionals, consumers, and manufacturers through the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Note that the number of reports does not directly indicate the frequency of side effects, as adverse events are voluntarily reported and may be underrepresented.

What are the most commonly reported side effects of Trastuzumab?

The most frequently reported adverse events for Trastuzumab include Diarrhoea, Alopecia, Nausea, Fatigue, Off Label Use. By volume, the top reported reactions are: Diarrhoea (6,558 reports), Alopecia (4,968 reports), Nausea (4,438 reports). These figures reflect FDA adverse event reports and may not represent the true incidence rate of these side effects in all patients taking Trastuzumab.

What percentage of Trastuzumab adverse event reports are serious?

Out of 66,263 classified reports, 56,536 (85.3%) were classified as serious and 9,727 as non-serious. The FDA classifies an event as "serious" if it results in death, hospitalization, disability, or other medically significant outcomes. A higher serious-event ratio warrants closer attention but does not necessarily mean the drug is unsafe.

Who reports adverse events for Trastuzumab (by sex)?

Adverse event reports for Trastuzumab break down by patient sex as follows: Female: 53,225, Male: 3,942, Unknown: 472. This distribution reflects reporting patterns rather than actual risk differences between groups. Reporting rates can be influenced by prescribing patterns, disease demographics, and reporting behavior.

What age groups report the most side effects for Trastuzumab?

The most frequently reported age groups for Trastuzumab adverse events are: age 54: 1,335 reports, age 58: 1,317 reports, age 55: 1,311 reports, age 60: 1,298 reports, age 52: 1,283 reports. Age-related reporting patterns can reflect both the demographics of the patient population and potential age-related susceptibility to certain side effects.

Who manufactures Trastuzumab?

The primary manufacturer associated with Trastuzumab adverse event reports is Genentech, Inc.. Multiple manufacturers may produce generic versions of this drug. The manufacturer listed reflects the most frequently reported brand in FDA adverse event data.

What other side effects have been reported for Trastuzumab?

Beyond the most common reactions, other reported adverse events for Trastuzumab include: Death, Disease Progression, Vomiting, Dyspnoea, Myelosuppression. Less common side effects can still be clinically significant. Patients should report any unusual symptoms to their healthcare provider.

How do I report a side effect from Trastuzumab?

You can report adverse events from Trastuzumab to the FDA through their MedWatch program at www.fda.gov/medwatch, by calling 1-800-FDA-1088, or by completing Form FDA 3500. Healthcare professionals, consumers, and manufacturers can all submit reports. Reporting helps the FDA monitor drug safety after approval.

What is Trastuzumab's safety score and what does it mean?

Trastuzumab has a safety concern score of 82 out of 100 (high concern). This score is calculated from the ratio of serious to non-serious adverse events, the diversity of reported reactions, and the overall volume of reports relative to usage. Trastuzumab is associated with a high number of serious adverse events, particularly death and disease progression.

What are the key safety signals for Trastuzumab?

Key safety signals identified in Trastuzumab's adverse event data include: Death and disease progression are among the most serious outcomes reported.. Cardiotoxicity and pulmonary issues are key safety signals, with multiple reports of cardiac failure and interstitial lung disease.. Neurological issues, including peripheral neuropathy and polyneuropathy, are also notable.. These signals are derived from patterns in FDA reports and should be discussed with a healthcare provider for personalized assessment.

Does Trastuzumab interact with other drugs?

Trastuzumab can cause cardiotoxicity and pulmonary issues, and patients should be monitored for these conditions. Drug interactions are not specifically noted in the data. Always inform your healthcare provider about all medications, supplements, and over-the-counter drugs you are taking before starting Trastuzumab.

What should patients know before taking Trastuzumab?

Monitor for signs of cardiotoxicity and pulmonary issues, such as shortness of breath and chest pain. Report any adverse events to your healthcare provider promptly.

Are Trastuzumab side effects well-documented?

Trastuzumab has 130,352 adverse event reports on file with the FDA. The most common reactions include diarrhea, alopecia, and nausea, indicating a broad range of potential side effects. The volume of reports for Trastuzumab reflects both the drug's usage level and the vigilance of the reporting community.

What is the FDA's position on Trastuzumab?

The FDA continues to monitor trastuzumab for safety, particularly for serious outcomes like death and disease progression. Patients should report any adverse events to their healthcare provider. For the most current regulatory information, check the FDA's drug labeling database or consult your pharmacist.

Related Drugs

Drugs related to TRASTUZUMAB based on therapeutic use, drug class, or shared indications:

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Important Disclaimer: This content is generated by AI analysis of FDA adverse event reports and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Adverse event reports submitted to the FDA do not prove that a medication caused the reported side effect. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication. If you experience a serious side effect, contact your doctor or call 911 immediately.