Reducing treatment burden in HER2+ breast cancer: Evaluating subcutaneous injection methods for pertuzumab/trastuzumab combination therapy

This study aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of different subcutaneous injection methods for the combined administration of pertuzumab and trastuzumab in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer through a retrospective analysis. This retrospective study reviewed the clinical records of 94 female patients with HER2-positive breast cancer who received combined subcutaneous injections of pertuzumab and trastuzumab at the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University (Luzhou, China) between January 2024 and March 2025. According to the injection method recorded in medical charts, patients were divided into 2 groups: the experimental group (slow bolus injection using an infusion pump) and the control group (traditional manual slow bolus injection by nurses). Clinical data were collected and compared between the 2 groups, focusing on postinjection local adverse reactions, including pain, subcutaneous bleeding, induration, and swelling. The incidence rates of postinjection pain, swelling, induration, and subcutaneous bleeding were significantly lower in the infusion pump group than in the manually injected group (P < .05). No severe local reactions were observed in either group. This retrospective analysis suggests that using a slow bolus injection with an infusion pump may reduce local adverse reactions following subcutaneous administration of pertuzumab and trastuzumab in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. The standardized use of infusion pumps could enhance patient comfort, safety, and overall treatment experience.