Trastuzumab

2017-12-06T12:52:05Z

170422336:

Trastuzumab, known more commonly as [[Herceptin|Herceptin]], is a medicine used to treat some [[Breast Cancer|breast]] and stomach [[Cancer|cancers]]. The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 is a [[Protein|protein]] present in ordinary human cells. The levels of this protein are abnormally high in [[Cancer|cancer]] patients; therefore they are known as HER2 positive. <ref>NHS choices,2014,Herceptin.[online]Available at:http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/herceptin/Pages/Introduction.aspx[Accessed 25 November 2014]</ref> However, not all cancer patients are HER2 positive, for example, only 25% of breast cancers have HER2 mutation. Herceptin attaches itself to the HER2 receptors on the surface of cancer cells; therefore blocking these [[Cell|cells]] from any growth signals they may have otherwise received. After this attachment, herceptin causes the [[Immune system|immune system]] to kill the cancer cells that it is attached to <ref>Breast Cancer Care,2014,Herceptin[online]Available at:https://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/breast-cancer-information/treating-breast-cancer/targeted-therapy/trastuzumab-herceptin[Accessed 25 November 2014]</ref>. This treatment process is a type of targeted therapy (when a drug targets a specific gene or protein). It has a big impact in treating cancer: Herceptin helps to prevent relapse in an early stage of breast cancer and make patient's survival time longer if the stage is advanced. However, only targeted therapy is not enough in the whole treatment process, chemotherapy or radiology have to be used as well.<ref>National Health Service. Herceptin (trastuzumab). 2016. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/herceptin/ (accessed 20 November 2017)</ref> 

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Trastuzumab