Treatment Drugs for Breast Cancer

Besides chemotherapy and radiation, a breast cancer patient may be prescribed certain medications to help treat the cancer. Instead of suppressing estrogen production like preventative breast cancer medications, these types of drugs work to kill the cancer itself.

Herceptin

Herceptin is the brand name for a drug called trastuzumab. This drug is part of a class of medications known as biologic response modifiers. These drugs are monoclonal antibodies which fight the cancerous cells that cause breast cancer.

The drug works to kill the cancer cells in an interesting way. The drug is actually a protein that targets another protein on the cancerous cells called Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor. The drug’s protein seeks out this cancerous cell’s protein and binds itself to the protein. By attaching itself to the cancerous cells, the drug’s protein enables immune cells in the body to seek out the cancer and to kill it. Herceptin is usually combined with chemotherapy, and the drug is given intravenously over a certain period of time during the course of treatment. Like other cancer treatment drugs, this treatment can cause birth defects or sterility, so women who wish to eventually become pregnant or who are pregnant should have a serious consultation with their doctor before beginning treatment.

The drug can cause a common side effect of fever and chills, and patients who experience this should consult their doctors immediately. More rare side effects include nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. If you experience any of these side effects, consult your doctor to further explore your options.

There are also two drugs that may be given during these treatments to help protect against bone loss, called pamidronate and zoledronic acid. These drugs are also given intravenously and are administered to help to prevent bone damage in cases where the cancer has already spread to the bones.

Prescription treatments for breast cancer can have as many bumpy side effects as chemotherapy and radiation, so patients should consult with their doctors to determine which drugs are right for them and to weight the positives and negatives of using prescription drugs as treatment.