Trastuzumab Health Dictionary

  1. Health Encyclopedia
  2. Trastuzumab

Trastuzumab: From 1 Different Sources

n. a *monoclonal antibody used to treat types of breast cancer and metastatic stomach cancer that are positive for *HER2: the drug binds to these receptors on the tumour. Side-effects include damage to the heart, chills, fever, and allergic reactions.
Health Source: Oxford | Concise Colour Medical Dictionary
Author: Jonathan Law, Elizabeth Martin

Breast Cancer

a malignant tumour of the breast, usually a *carcinoma, rarely a *sarcoma. It is unusual in men but is the most common form of cancer in women, in some cases involving both breasts. Cumulative exposure to higher oestrogen levels is implicated as a causal factor: breast cancer is most strongly associated with early menarche and late menopause, childlessness, and late age at the birth of the first child, and hence with an increase in the total number of menstrual cycles in a woman’s life. Approximately 5% of cases are due to the *BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations.

The classic sign is a lump in the breast, usually painless; bleeding or discharge from the nipple may occur infrequently. Sometimes the first thing to be noticed is a lump in the axilla (armpit), which is caused by spread of the cancer to the drainage lymph nodes. The tumour may also spread to the bones, lungs, and liver. Current treatment of a localized tumour is usually by surgery (see lumpectomy; mastectomy), with or without radiotherapy; cytotoxic drugs and hormone therapy are used as *adjuvant therapy and *neoadjuvant chemotherapy and for widespread (metastatic) disease. Anti-oestrogenic agents used include *tamoxifen and (more recently) *aromatase inhibitors and *trastuzumab (Herceptin).... breast cancer

Cytotoxic Drug

any drug that damages or destroys cells: usually refers to those drugs used to treat various types of cancer. There are various classes of cytotoxic drugs, including *alkylating agents (e.g. *chlorambucil, *cyclophosphamide, *melphalan), *antimetabolites (e.g. *fluorouracil, *methotrexate, *mercaptopurine), *anthracycline antibiotics (e.g. *doxorubicin, *daunorubicin, *dactinomycin), *vinca alkaloids, and platinum compounds (e.g. *carboplatin, *cisplatin). Other cytotoxic drugs include *taxanes and *topoisomerase inhibitors, and some *monoclonal antibodies (e.g. *bevacizumab, *trastuzumab) have cytotoxic activity. All these drugs offer successful treatment in some conditions and help reduce symptoms and prolong life in others. Cytotoxic drugs destroy cancer cells by interfering with cell division, but they also affect normal cells, particularly in bone marrow (causing *myelosuppression), hair follicles (causing hair loss), the stomach lining (resulting in severe nausea and vomiting), mouth (causing soreness), and fetal tissue (they should not be taken during the later stages of pregnancy). Dosage must therefore be carefully controlled. See also chemotherapy.... cytotoxic drug

Her2

human epidermal growth factor receptor 2: a protein occurring in excessive amounts on the surface of tumour cells in highly malignant forms of breast cancer. It acts as an *epidermal growth factor receptor, which influences the growth and proliferation of the tumour. See also trastuzumab.... her2

Herceptin

n. see trastuzumab.... herceptin

Proprietary Name

(in pharmacy) the trade name of a drug: the name assigned to it by the firm that manufactured it. For example, Taxotere and Herceptin are the proprietary names of docetaxel and trastuzumab, respectively.... proprietary name

Targeted Agent

(targeted therapy) a drug that interferes with specific molecular targets in the pathways involved in cancer cell growth and signalling, in contrast to *cytotoxic drugs that act primarily on rapidly dividing cells. It typically requires prolonged courses of treatment, and the anticancer action can be synergistic with *chemotherapy. Many new drugs are being developed and are undergoing trials to determine optimal use. The *tyrosine kinase inhibitors include imatinib and *epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors; multitargeted agents include *sorafenib and *sunitinib. The monoclonal antibodies include *rituximab, *trastuzumab, *cetuximab, and *bevacizumab.... targeted agent

Health encyclopedia icon Health Encyclopedia

Recent Searches