Questions About Cancer? 1-800-4-CANCER

Targeted Therapies for Breast Cancer Tutorial

Introduction

In This Section:

Targeted Therapies Overview

Targeted therapies are transforming the way people treat cancer. These carefully designed drugs have already begun to make personalized medicine a reality and will continue to help doctors tailor cancer treatment based on the characteristics of each individual's cancer. It is important that health care professionals become familiar with the concept of targeted therapies so they can communicate with their patients about these new approaches and help patients make better-informed treatment decisions.

Image of doctor talking to patient.

Breast Cancer Tutorial—Objectives

Image of young female patient in a hospital bed with healthcare providers surrounding her.

This tutorial focuses on targeted therapies that have been and are being developed to treat breast cancer, including small molecules and monoclonal antibodies. By completing this tutorial, you will learn the answers to the following questions:

  • What pathways in breast cancer cells are being targeted?
  • What agents are being developed to target these pathways?
  • Which targeted therapies are currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating breast cancer?
  • How can I find clinical trials that are evaluating targeted therapies for breast cancer?

Breast Cancer Treatment Background

Treatment for breast cancer depends on the stage of the disease, but often includes surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Some targeted therapies, including antihormone therapies and Herceptin® (trastuzumab), have also become part of standard treatment for breast cancer when a patient's tumor expresses the targets of these drugs. Preclinical experiments and clinical trials are currently underway to evaluate additional targeted therapies and find out how best to use these drugs in combination with each other and standard therapies.



Glossary Terms

chemotherapy (KEE-moh-THAYR-uh-pee)
Treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells.
clinical trial (KLIH-nih-kul TRY-ul)
A type of research study that tests how well new medical approaches work in people. These studies test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of a disease. Also called clinical study.
Herceptin (her-SEP-tin)
A drug used to treat breast cancer that is HER2-positive (expresses the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2). It is also used with other drugs to treat HER2-positive stomach cancer that has not already been treated and has spread to other parts of the body. It is being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Herceptin binds to HER2 on the surface of HER2-positive cancer cells, and may kill them. It is a type of monoclonal antibody. Also called trastuzumab.
molecule (MAH-leh-kyool)
The smallest particle of a substance that has all of the physical and chemical properties of that substance. Molecules are made up of one or more atoms. If they contain more than one atom, the atoms can be the same (an oxygen molecule has two oxygen atoms) or different (a water molecule has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom). Biological molecules, such as proteins and DNA, can be made up of many thousands of atoms.
monoclonal antibody (MAH-noh-KLOH-nul AN-tee-BAH-dee)
A type of protein made in the laboratory that can bind to substances in the body, including tumor cells. There are many kinds of monoclonal antibodies. Each monoclonal antibody is made to find one substance. Monoclonal antibodies are being used to treat some types of cancer and are being studied in the treatment of other types. They can be used alone or to carry drugs, toxins, or radioactive materials directly to a tumor.
personalized medicine (PER-suh-nuh-LIZED MEH-dih-sin)
A form of medicine that uses information about a person’s genes, proteins, and environment to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease.
radiation therapy (RAY-dee-AY-shun THAYR-uh-pee)
The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons, and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external-beam radiation therapy), or it may come from radioactive material placed in the body near cancer cells (internal radiation therapy). Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance, such as a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody, that travels in the blood to tissues throughout the body. Also called irradiation and radiotherapy.
surgery (SER-juh-ree)
A procedure to remove or repair a part of the body or to find out whether disease is present. An operation.
therapy (THAYR-uh-pee)
Treatment.