Women who receive Herceptin are usually in the advanced stages of breast cancer. Herceptin is considered a biological treatment for breast cancer and works with naturally occurring proteins in the body. Herceptin works by stopping the growth of advanced breast cancer and by preventing it from spreading to other parts of the body. It is considered one of the most effective treatment methods for advanced breast cancer and is approved by the FDA for specific types of breast cancer.
About
Breast cancer affects approximately 180,000 women every year. Out of that number, approximately 30 percent of women are diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. According to an article by Alice Buckley that was reviewed by Igor Puzanov, MD of Baptist Health Systems, approximately 60,000 women have an aggressive form of breast cancer that is associated with the human epithelial growth factor receptor-2 or HER-2. This form of breast cancer is often deadly, advances quickly and strikes women of all ages. HER-2 aggressive cancer is more likely to metastasize and spread throughout the body quickly.
HER-2
Herceptin works by blocking the HER-2 receptor, according to Buckley. This stops the cancer tumor from growing and eventually kills the cancer cells. HER-2 is a naturally occurring protein from which the cancer cells advance. Although all women produce a certain amount of HER-2, aggressive breast cancers occur in women who produce too much HER-2. Herceptin specifically targets the receptor cells by blocking them. This prevents the protein from attaching to the cancer cells and starves the cancer cells.
Administration
According to Cancer Help UK, Herceptin is a biological treatment administered by intravenous drip. The first treatment lasts for approximately an hour and a half and follow-up treatments last for approximately 30 minutes to an hour. Treatments are administered approximately every three weeks as long as they are keeping the cancer under control or until the cancer goes into remission. Some patients have occasional follow-up treatments to insure that their cancer stays in remission.
Chemotherapy
Herceptin is often used in conjunction with chemotherapy treatments for advanced breast cancer according to Cancer Help UK. The most common chemotherapy drug is Taxol. This drug is used if the patient has not been exposed to the drug through previous treatments for advanced breast cancer. Many oncologists carefully consider whether the patient will benefit from using chemotherapy along with Herceptin treatments and guidelines suggest that not more than two other treatments of chemotherapy should occur with Herceptin.
Side Effects
According to Buckley, the side effects of Herceptin are relatively minor compared to other types of treatments for advanced breast cancer. Approximately 28 percent of women experience some form of heart problems. Because the chance of significant heart problems is present, it is not recommended that women with early stage breast cancer use Herceptin. However, other side effects include chills, fever, fatigue, diarrhea and joint pain. Herceptin may make side effects of other chemotherapy treatments more difficult, including anemia, abdominal pain and infections.
Tags: breast cancer, advanced breast cancer, advanced breast, breast cancer, cancer cells, treatments advanced
