There has been considerable publicity surrounding the potential benefits of herceptin in treating early breast cancer and whether or not its benefits outweigh the costs of treatment. In this article, requested by visitors to the www.behindthemedicalheadlines.com site, Dr David Cameron provides an overview of the development of herceptin, its use in treatment and its safety profile.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
OwensMABCHortenda SilvaMM HER2 amplification ratios by fluorescence in situ hybridization and correlation with immunohistochemistry in a cohort of 6,556 breast cancer tissues. Clin Breast Cancer 2004; 5:63–9.
2.
SlamonDJGMClark,Wong SG Human breast cancer: correlation of relapse and survival with amplification of the HER-2/neu oncogene. Science 1987; 235:177–82.
3.
LohrischCPiccartM. HER2/neu as a predictive factor in breast cancer. Clin Breast Cancer 2001; 2:129–35.
4.
PaulettiGWGodolphinPressMF Detection and quantification of HER-2/neu gene amplification in human breast cancer and archival material using fluorescence in situ hybridisation. Oncogene 1996; 13:63–72.
5.
HynesNEHAGerberSaurerS Overexpression of the cerbB- 2 protein in human breast tumor cell lines. J Cell Biochem 1989; 39:167–73.
6.
MotoyamaABNEHynesLaneHA.The efficacy of ErbB receptortargeted anticancer therapeutics is influenced by the availability of epidermal growth factor-related peptides. Cancer Res 2002; 62:3151–8.
7.
GennariRSMenardFagnoniF Pilot study of the mechanism of action of preoperative trastuzumab in patients with primary operable breast tumors overexpressing HER2. Clin Cancer Res 2004; 10:5650–5.
8.
MolinaMAJCodony-ServatAlbanellJ Trastuzumab (Herceptin), a humanized anti-HER2 receptor monoclonal antibody, inhibits basal and activated HER2 ectodomain cleavage in breast cancer cells. Cancer Res 2001; 61:4744–9.
9.
SlamonDJBLeyland-JonesShakS Use of chemotherapy plus a monoclonal antibody against HER2 for metastatic breast cancer that overexpresses HER2. N Engl J Med 2001; 344:783–92.
10.
RomondEHEAPerezBryantJ Trastuzumab plus adjuvant chemotherapy for operable HER2-positive breast cancer. N Engl J Med 2005; 353:1673–85.
11.
Piccart-GebhartMJMProcterLeyland-JonesB Herceptin Adjuvant (HERA) Trial Study Team. Trastuzumab after adjuvant chemotherapy in HER-2-positive breast cancer. N Engl J Med 2005; 353:1659–72.
12.
JoensuuHPLKellokumpu-LehtinenBonoP Adjuvant docetaxel or vinorelbine with or without trastuzumab for breast cancer. N Engl J Med 2006; 354:809–20.