Is Herceptin a type of chemotherapy?
Is Herceptin a type of chemotherapy?
Herceptin is an intravenous drug that is part of a chemotherapy regimen that is used to prevent recurrence of breast cancer, and for the treatment breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast (metastasized). It belongs to a class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies.
What kind of breast cancer is Herceptin approved for?
Herceptin is approved for the treatment of early-stage breast cancer that is H uman E pidermal growth factor R eceptor 2 -positive ( HER2 +). See more about HER2+ breast cancer here.
What can I do for HER2 positive breast cancer?
be given to women with earlier stages of HER2-positive disease as adjuvant treatment (treatment after initial treatment, such as surgery) either alone or as part of a regimen with chemotherapy A newer form of Herceptin, Herceptin Hylecta (chemical name: trastuzumab and hyaluronidase-oysk), can be given as an injection.
How often should you take Herceptin after chemotherapy?
With chemotherapy: When you are taking Herceptin together with chemotherapy, you will receive Herceptin once a week After chemotherapy: When you are taking Herceptin after surgery and completion of chemotherapy, you may receive Herceptin either every 3 weeks OR once a week
How are Herceptin and taxol used to treat cancer?
Adriamycin (chemical name: doxorubicin) plus Cytoxan (chemical name: cyclophosphamide) followed by Taxol (chemical name: paclitaxel) plus Herceptin At 10 years after treatment, overall survival was better in women who were treated with Herceptin: 84% of the women who received chemotherapy plus Herceptin were alive
Which is the best therapy for breast cancer patients?
Radiation therapy may be used to treat breast cancer at almost every stage. Radiation therapy is an effective way to reduce your risk of breast cancer recurring after surgery. In addition, it is commonly used to ease the symptoms caused by cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic breast cancer).
What are targeted therapies for breast cancer?
For HER2-positive breast cancer, targeted therapies include ado-trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla), lapatinib (Tykerb), pertuzumab (Perjeta), and trastuzumab (Herceptin).
Is Herceptin a form of chemotherapy?
Herceptin is not a form of chemotherapy. It is a biologic therapy, also known as biological therapy (see Biological Therapy for Breast Cancer). It is less “toxic” than chemotherapy, as it specifically targets the HER2 receptors.
How is HER2-positive breast cancer treated?
For women with HER2 – positive breast cancers, the drug trastuzumab (Herceptin) has been shown to dramatically lower the chances of the cancer coming back. It’s standard treatment to give this medication along with chemotherapy after surgery to people with breast cancer that’s spread to other areas.