- HER hope - Understanding HER2+ Breast Cancer
- Overcoming Your Fears of Breast Cancer Treatment
- Your Guide to the Breast Cancer Treatment
- Spotlight
- Discover HER connection
A program designed to support patients with knowledge and information about HER2+ breast cancer.
How Does Herceptin Work?
Herceptin (trastuzumab) is not chemotherapy or hormonal therapy. Herceptin is a type of targeted cancer therapy known as a monoclonal antibody (sometimes called targeted biologic therapy). Antibodies are part of the body's normal defense against bacteria, viruses, and abnormal cells, such as cancer cells. 1,4
- Monoclonal antibodies are produced in a laboratory by making multiple copies of a single cell. Monoclonal antibodies are designed to recognize a specific protein on certain cells and signal the body's immune system to destroy the cell 2
- Monoclonal antibodies are generally a more targeted therapy than chemotherapy 2,3
To receive Herceptin, your tumor must be tested and be HER2+. Talk to your doctor to find out if Herceptin is right for you.
How Herceptin works
Herceptin is designed to target HER2+ cancer cells. Based on laboratory studies, Herceptin is thought to work in two ways to stop the HER2+ cancer cell from growing. 1
- References:
- 1. Herceptin Prescribing Information. Genentech, Inc. March 2009.
- 2. American Cancer Society Website. Monoclonal antibody therapy. Available at: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_1_4X_Monoclonal_Antibody_ Therapy_Passive_Immunotherapy.asp?sitearea=ETO. Accessed September 2, 2008.
- 3. American Cancer Society Website. How does chemotherapy work? Available at: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_1_4X_How_Does_Chemotherapy_Work.asp?sitearea=ETO. Accessed September 2, 2008.
- 4. Slamon DJ, Leyland-Jones B, Shak S, etal. Use of chemotherapy plus a monoclonal antibody against HER2 for metastatic breast cancer that overexpresses HER2. N Engl J Med. 2001; 344: 783-792.
Herceptin® (trastuzumab)
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- What do Adjuvant and Metastatic mean? Learn more.
Adjuvant Care Is defined as additional treatment given after the main treatment plan to decrease the chance of recurrence. Adjuvant therapy for breast cancer can include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation therapy, or biological therapy
Metastatic Breast Cancer Breast cancer that has spread to other sites in the body; also referred to as invasive or infiltrating
