![]() However, it attaches to a different part of the HER2 protein. Pertuzumab is a drug that works much like trastuzumab. longer disease-free progression, which is when the cancer is still present but doesn’t get worse.Overall, according to research, using trastuzumab in combination with other treatment interventions, such as chemotherapy, is associated with: It was an important step in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancers. Trastuzumab was the first drug approved to specifically target the HER2 protein. It does this by attaching itself directly to the HER2 protein, thereby blocking incoming growth signals. Trastuzumab helps block cancer cells from receiving chemical signals that spur growth. The targeted treatments for HER2-positive breast cancer include: Trastuzumab (Herceptin) They also tend to create fewer side effects than chemotherapy or radiation therapy because they don’t harm your body’s healthy (noncancerous) cells, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). In the case of HER2-positive breast cancer, these drugs target cells expressing the HER2 protein. Targeted treatments work to attack a specific type of cancer cell. HER2-positive breast cancer generally responds well to chemotherapy. Powerful drugs can seek out and destroy cancer cells anywhere in the body and can help prevent them from dividing and spreading. ChemotherapyĬhemotherapy is a systemic treatment. Radiation therapy may be conducted either externally via a machine, or internally via catheters or needles. This treatment measure works by radiation, such as high-energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells. Radiation therapy can target any cancer cells that may remain after surgery. You may also consider talking with your doctor about the benefits and drawbacks of breast-conserving surgery versus a total mastectomy. Additionally, the size, location, and number of tumors help determine the need for breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy, and whether to remove the lymph nodes. Our hope is that a vaccine that engages multiple aspects of the body's own immune system will build on those successes.Most people who have breast cancer will have some form of surgery to help remove the tumors. We have good drugs, like trastuzumab, that can interfere with the recurrence of HER2-positive breast cancer. "Our goal is to develop a strategy to address recurrence. "The standard approaches to treating cancer address the existing disease," Dr. In addition, the research will help identify specific tumor subtypes that are good candidates for vaccine treatments. This research is expected to determine how long immunity lasts and whether booster shots are necessary to help the immune system continue identifying the cancerous cells. They also found that the vaccine promotes a measurable immune response to the HER2 protein in patients.įuture research to be conducted at Mayo Clinic and in collaboration with other medical centers will determine if the vaccine is effective against the recurrence of HER2-positive breast cancer. They found that the vaccine promoted mild responses typical of any vaccination, such as fatigue. ![]() In previous Mayo Clinic studies, the team investigated the physical effects of the vaccine and whether it stimulated an immune response. "The body's T cells and B cells synergize with each other for a strong, durable immune response." Knutson, Ph.D., an immunologist at Mayo Clinic in Florida who is principal investigator of the study. "The vaccine provides a prevention strategy to deter cancer reformation," said Keith L. The new vaccine also stimulates another group of cells in the immune system - long-lasting T cells that remember the proteins and promote resistance to recurrence. Trastuzumab works by activating the immune system's B cells, which look for and attack breast tumor cells with HER2 proteins on the surface. The combination approach will engage two types of immune cells. Mayo Clinic researchers recently received a grant of $11 million from the Department of Defense to push the next studies of the vaccine ahead and help address this unmet patient need. If it works, the vaccine could help prevent the return of the breast cancer, which can be hard to treat once it spreads to other parts of the body. The vaccine is intended to be used in combination with trastuzumab (Herceptin), an immune-stimulating drug given after HER2 tumor removal surgery. On Mayo Clinic's campus in Florida, a team of researchers has a new anti-cancer vaccine in the works to help the body resist the return of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer. The key may be to harness the full capabilities of the body's immune system to do both jobs. Treating breast cancer has long involved addressing two problems: the elimination of cancer cells from the tumor and potential disease recurrence.
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