Advanced, HER2 Negative Breast Cancer Treatment
Different breast cancers behave in different ways, which necessitates separate treatment guidelines to address the individual characteristics of specific types of cancer. As knowledge evolves, treatment guidelines are updated to reflect up-to-date information about breast cancer. Recently, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) published guidelines on the use of chemotherapy and targeted therapy in the treatment of patients with advanced, HER2 negative breast cancer.
What is HER2 Negative Breast Cancer?
HER2, or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, is a protein that the human body develops to help regulate reproduction of the cells. Sometimes the gene responsible for developing this protein will over-replicate itself, which can result in overproduction of HER2. […]
Kadcyla, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2013, is one of the latest advancements to improve our ability to treat breast cancer. Although Kadcyla was only approved for a specific population of breast cancer patients (HER2 positive breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic breast cancer)), it fits into a larger story that is fundamentally changing how we treat many types of breast cancer.
The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) is an annual international conference directed towards academicians, private physicians and researchers with more than 7,000 in attendance from 90 countries. The purpose of the symposium is to relay breaking news, trial updates, advances in biology and practice-changing guidelines in breast cancer care and management.
Pertuzumab (Perjeta) became the first drug to ever be approved by the FDA for use prior to surgery for non-metastatic breast cancer on September 30, 2013. This development further signals a paradigm shift away from chemotherapy and towards targeted therapy – specifically in the now increasingly target-rich environment of HER2-positive breast cancer.
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