Spotlight
Discover HER connection
A program designed to support patients with knowledge and information about HER2+ breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Treatment Options

Depending on your risk factors and the stage of the tumor, your doctor will select the appropriate breast cancer treatment plan for you. Most women with early breast cancer will have surgery to get rid of as much of the cancer as possible. The surgery will be one of two types:

Mastectomy

Surgery to remove the entire breast.

Lumpectomy, or breast-conserving surgery

Surgery to remove only the tumor plus some normal tissue around it.

Breast cancer treatment may also include the following:

Radiation therapy

Treatment with high-energy rays aimed at the area around the tumor.

Chemotherapy

A drug that kills cancer cells.

Hormonal Therapy

A drug that reduces the amount of estrogen in the body or blocks the effect of estrogen (estrogen causes some tumors to grow).

Targeted Therapy

Antibodies, produced by specialized immune cells, are part of the body's normal defense against bacteria, viruses, and abnormal cells, such as cancer cells. 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. Monoclonal antibodies are generally a more targeted therapy than chemotherapy.^{1, 2}
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors, or TKIs, are small molecule chemical compounds. They work inside cells by interfering with the cell communication and growth.

References:
1. 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.
2. 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.

Who is Herceptin for?

Herceptin is approved for the adjuvant treatment of HER2-overexpressing, node-positive or node-negative (ER/PR-negative or with one high-risk feature)^† breast cancer. Herceptin can be used several different ways:

As part of a treatment regimen including doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and either paclitaxel or docetaxel
With docetaxel and carboplatin
As a single agent following multi-modality anthracycline-based therapy

Herceptin in combination with paclitaxel is approved for the first-line treatment of HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer. Herceptin as a single agent is approved for treatment of HER2-overexpressing breast cancer in patients who have received one or more chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease.

† High-risk is defined as ER/PR positive with one of the following features: tumor size >2 cm, age <35 years, or tumor grade 2 or 3.

What important safety information should I know about Herceptin?

Herceptin treatment can result in heart problems, including those without symptoms (reduced heart function) and those with symptoms (congestive heart failure). The risk and seriousness of these heart problems were highest in people who received both Herceptin and a certain type of chemotherapy (anthracycline). Your doctor will stop or strongly consider stopping Herceptin if you have a significant drop in your heart function.

You should be monitored for decreased heart function before your first dose of Herceptin, and frequently during the time you are receiving Herceptin and after your last dose of Herceptin. If you must permanently or temporarily stop Herceptin due to heart problems, you should be monitored more frequently. In one study with Herceptin and certain types of chemotherapy, an inadequate blood supply to the heart occurred.

Some patients have had serious infusion reactions and lung problems; fatal infusion reactions have been reported. In most cases, these reactions occurred during or within 24 hours of receiving Herceptin. Your Herceptin infusion should be temporarily stopped if you have shortness of breath or very low blood pressure. Your doctor will monitor you until these symptoms go away. If you have a severe allergic reaction, swelling, lung problems, inflammation of the lung, or severe shortness of breath, your doctor may need to completely stop your Herceptin treatment.

Worsening of low white blood cell counts associated with chemotherapy has also occurred.

Herceptin can cause low amniotic fluid levels and harm to the fetus when taken by a pregnant woman.

The most common side effects associated with Herceptin were fever, nausea, vomiting, infusion reactions, diarrhea, infections, increased cough, headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, rash, low white and red blood cells, and muscle pain.

Because everyone is different, it is not possible to predict what side effects any one person will have. If you have questions or concerns about side effects, talk to your doctor.

Please see the Herceptin full prescribing information including Boxed WARNINGS and additional important safety information.

Herceptin® (trastuzumab)

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What do Adjuvant and Metastatic mean? X Close

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