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.
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). After treatment with doxorubicin (Adriamycin®, Rubex®) and cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan®) has been completed, trastuzumab is given along with paclitaxel (Onxol®, Taxol®) for a while, and then it is given alone -- for a total of 52 weeks (one year) of trastuzumab treatment.
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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