What Is Trastuzumab Used For?

Trastuzumab is used for treating breast cancer in adults. The medication is not a form of chemotherapy; it is less toxic than chemotherapy and is known as a "biological" therapy. A healthcare provider may prescribe trastuzumab when certain tests indicate that the breast cancer "overexpresses" a certain protein (HER2). Trastuzumab works by binding to this protein, affecting the way the cancer grows and multiplies. At this time, there are no off-label trastuzumab uses.

What Is Trastuzumab Used For?

Trastuzumab (Herceptin®) is a prescription medication used to treat breast cancer. It is part of a group of medications called monoclonal antibodies. Specifically, trastuzumab has been licensed to treat breast cancer in the following ways:
 
  • In combination with chemotherapy to prevent cancer from returning after breast cancer surgery for node-positive cancers (that have spread to lymph nodes) that overexpress HER2 (have a high concentration of HER2 receptors). There are a few different regimens, such as:
    •  
 
    • Trastuzumab can be combined with docetaxel and carboplatin for 18 weeks, followed by Trastuzumab alone for a total of 52 weeks of Trastuzumab treatment.
 
    • Trastuzumab can be used by itself (for 52 weeks of treatment) after an anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimen. Anthracyclines include:
 
      • Daunorubicin (Cerubidine®, DaunoXome®)
      • Doxorubicin Epirubicin (Ellence®)
      • Idarubicin (Idamycin®)
      • Mitoxantrone (Novantrone®)
      • Valrubicin (Valstar®).

 

  • Alone to treat people who have already undergone chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancers (that have spread to other parts of the body) that overexpress HER2.
    •  
  • In combination with paclitaxel (Onxol, Taxol) to treat metastatic breast cancers that overexpress HER2 in people who have not had prior chemotherapy.
    •  

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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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