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TREATMENT > HER-2 therapy
HER-2 THERAPY
HER-2 therapy may also be referred to as monoclonal antibody therapy.
HER-2 therapy is the treatment of breast cancer with medication that interferes with the growth of some breast cancers. It is a type of biological therapy or immunotherapy, which are therapies that enhance the body’s immune response against cancer.
The surfaces of cells have many different proteins on them called receptors. HER-2 is a type of naturally occurring receptor. HER-2 receptors are believed to be involved in cell growth and proliferation.
In some people with breast cancer, the cancer cells have more than the usual number of HER-2 receptors. These breast cancers are known as HER-2-positive cancers. They tend to grow and spread more aggressively, due to the role of the extra HER-2 receptors in cell growth.
In other people, the breast cancer cells have the normal number of HER-2 receptors. These cancers are known as HER-2 receptor-negative. For patients whose cancers are HER-2 receptor-negative, there is no benefit to taking HER-2 therapy.
To determine the HER-2 receptor status, cancer cells are tested in a lab. If they are found to be HER-2 receptor-positive, then HER-2 therapy is likely to help.
HER-2 therapy includes medication (called trastuzumab, also known as Herceptin) that binds to the HER-2 receptors of breast cancer cells. By blocking the receptors, it disrupts the growth of HER-2-positive cancers cells, resulting in slower growth of the cancer.
Some of the possible side effects of HER-2 therapy include fever, chills, and headache. The side effects are usually mild in comparison to the side effects of chemotherapy.
Sometimes the heart can be affected by the HER-2 therapy, requiring prompt medical attention. The major symptoms are shortness of breath, leg swelling, and extreme fatigue.
See your doctor for further discussion of possible side effects.
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