Biologically Targeted Therapy
Biologically targeted therapies are medications that precisely target a specific molecule that is critical to the growth and development of cancer.
A frequently used targeted therapy is Trastuzumab (Herceptin®), which is an immune molecule used to target a protein on the surface of some breast cancer cells known as HER2. A test can be done to determine if the HER2 protein is a component of your particular cancer. In addition to trastuzumab, several other medicines that target the HER2 protein are now available that are highly effective in treating HER2-positive breast tumors. In some cases, HER2-targeted medicines are given alone, and in other cases they are combined with chemotherapy for maximum effectiveness.
In addition to HER2-targeted therapies, the medical oncologists at the Center for Breast Care also use other cutting-edge targeted therapies to provide precision cancer care that is based on the specific molecular features of each patient's tumor. The medical oncologists often order advanced testing of the tumor known as Next Generation DNA Sequencing (NGS) that is a highly accurate way to determine the specific abnormalities in the cancer cells that allow the cancer to grow and spread. By knowing which specific abnormalities are driving a patient's tumor, personalized treatments can be designed to specifically target the vulnerabilities in the cancer cells.
The breast medical oncologists at UI Health are actively involved in research studies investigating the use of these and other targeted agents to improve outcomes for breast cancer patients.
