[ PRINT ] [ Printing FAQ ] About OncoLink Editorial Board Sponsors Help See Today's OncoTip Usage Statistics Virtual Classroom Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute "Confronting Cancer Through Art" is an exhibition by people whose lives have been touched by cancer. This week we are featuring artwork by: Jacqueline Kniewasser Pontypool, Ontario Visit the Children's Art Gallery This week's artwork was donated by a pediatric cancer patient who received treatment for cancer at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

OncoLink FAQ: Herceptin Last Revision Date: Sunday, 14-Feb-1999 13:54:29 EST Copyright © 1994-1999, The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania This is a response to a question about Herceptin. Question: I am hearing alot about Herceptin lately. What is it and what does it do? Thank you in advance, MH Kenneth Blank, MD and John Han-Chih Chang, MD, Editorial Assistants for Oncolink, respond: Dear MH, In certain types of breast cancer there is an epidermal growth factor receptor called Her2. Growth factor receptors are proteins that sit on a cell's surface and bind growth factors which, are molecules that circulate in the blood. When the growth factor binds with the growth factor receptor it stimulates the cell to divide. Scientists have developed Herceptin to compete against the growth factor and bind with Her2. When Herceptin is binding Her2 the cell is unable to divide. This interferes with the cells' biological processes, which eventually causes the breast cancer cell to die. Herceptin has been demonstrated to have anti-cancer activity in patients with the type of metastatic breast cancer that overexpresses Her2. A more recent study published in abstract form at the 1998 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology reported on the efficacy of Herceptin when combined with chemotherapy. 469 patients were randomized to four arms: Taxol alone Adriamycin and Cyclophosphamide Herceptin with Taxol Herceptin with Adriamycin and Cyclophosphamide. Patients receiving Herceptin had significantly longer time to progression and better response rates. The combination of Herceptin and Taxol was best tolerated. Further studies of this new medication are underway. Thank you for your question and your interest.

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