What treatment is used for HER2-positive breast cancer?
Trastuzumab (Herceptin) and pertuzumab (Perjeta) are the most commonly used drugs used to treat HER2-positive breast cancer.
Is HER2-positive breast cancer curable?
HER2-positive breast cancer is highly curable because of the availability of these HER2-targeted therapies, so we treat patients fairly aggressively upfront to reduce the risk of them experiencing a stage IV recurrence.
Do you have to have chemo if HER2-positive?
Because HER2-positive cancer is considered more aggressive than HER2-negative breast cancer, it is usually treated with chemotherapy after surgery to reduce recurrence risk.
Is HER2-positive breast cancer aggressive?
In about 1 of every 5 breast cancers, the cancer cells have extra copies of the gene that makes the HER2 protein. HER2 -positive breast cancers tend to be more aggressive than other types of breast cancer.
How bad is HER2-positive breast cancer?
About 25% of breast cancers are HER2-positive. HER2-positive cancers are a mix of good and bad news. The bad news is the tumors tend to grow more aggressively than those without the HER2 receptor. The good news is that like ER/PR-positive cancers, medicines can switch the HER2 growth receptor off.
What is the best treatment for breast cancer?
Treatments for breast cancer include surgery as well as radiation, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. These treatments are either local or systemic. Local treatments, such as surgery and radiation therapy, remove, destroy or control cancer cells in specific areas.
How does Herceptin work for breast cancer?
Herceptin works by attaching itself to the HER2 receptors on the surface of breast cancer cells and blocking them from receiving growth signals. By blocking the signals, Herceptin can slow or stop the growth of the breast cancer.
What are the FDA-approved HER2 tests of breast tumors?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two main HER2 testing methods; immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in-situ hybridization (ISH). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) detects the HER2 protein that is present on the cell membrane of breast cancer cells.
What is triple negative breast cancer and how is it treated?
Big Changes Coming in Treatment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Refining Chemotherapy for TNBC. In a phase 3 trial, 1 labeled Study 301, Halaven (eribulin mesylate) was compared with the chemotherapy capecitabine in previously treated patients with locally advanced or Novel Strategies in TNBC. Androgen Receptor Signaling.