By blocking a “HER2/Neu” protein in the biological treatment
The previous treatment of breast cancer mainly include four kinds of methods: surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and endocrine therapy. More recently, foreign medical scientists have called HER2 on a human epidermal growth factor receptor studies, pleasantly surprised to find that the adoption of anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody can significantly inhibit the expression of such a protein in a high degree of the growth of human breast cancer cells, thus the treatment of breast cancer has opened up a new world, namely, biological treatment.
Herceptin (Herceptin) that the human anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, which act on breast cancer cells, HER2-Neu surface proteins interfere with the biological process of cancer cells and ultimately caused his death. Therefore, Herceptin (Herceptin) The main groups are suitable for HER2 overexpression (immunohistochemistry 3 + or fluorescence in situ hybridization FISH positive) breast cancer patients, and the population of all patients with breast cancer accounts for about 20 ~ 30%. Currently on Herceptin (Herceptin) for clinical Phase â… clinical trial of three (H0407g, H0452g, H0453g) has been completed. As in pre-clinical animal experiments, as shown, these studies did not occur with Herceptin (Herceptin) related serious toxicity. In a larger scale there are several countries to participate in Phase â…¡ clinical trial (H0649g), the use of Herceptin (Herceptin) monotherapy past used one or two kinds of cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs failed metastatic breast cancer, the results overall response rate was 15%, median remission duration of 8 months, and all patients Herceptin (Herceptin) were well tolerated.
For Herceptin (Herceptin) in pre-clinical studies have confirmed that many chemotherapy drugs and Herceptin (Herceptin) exists between the enhancement and / or synergistic therapeutic effect. First discovered that the cisplatin or carboplatin and Herceptin (Herceptin) has a synergistic effect, this synergy after the combination therapy led to HER2-positive cell killing effect of cytotoxic type logarithmically enhanced. Other pre-clinical studies have Herceptin (Herceptin) and docetaxel synergistic, but additive effect with paclitaxel is effective.
Has completed several phase â…¡ clinical trials showed that Herceptin (Herceptin) combined with chemotherapy for HER2 overexpression metastatic breast cancer have a better clinical benefit and safety. H0552g trial confirms that weekly intravenous injections of Herceptin (Herceptin) once every 4 weeks combined with cisplatin treatment so that 25% of patients achieved partial remission, 25% to slightly mitigate or stabilize the disease, objective response rate than expected, cisplatin treatment alone to be high, but the toxicity is not higher than expected. 2002 ASCO meeting, reported the MD Anderson Cancer Center in the United States on a weekly application of docetaxel and Herceptin (Herceptin) a joint program Phase â…¡ clinical study results: The overall response rate of 67%, while in serum HER2 shedding extracellular components (ECD) levels increased in the overall response rate of 76% (a low level by only 33%), so that prompted the latter is expected to become the new based on Herceptin (Herceptin) treatment efficacy predictors. Breast Cancer International Research Group (BCIRG) carried out two related Herceptin (Herceptin) with docetaxel and platinum agents combination of the three phase â…¡ clinical trials (BCIRG101 and 102), the results of Herceptin (Herceptin) + Multi-Citer Su + cisplatin / carboplatin, the overall response rate was 76% / 71%.
Currently on Herceptin (Herceptin) combined with chemotherapy in Phase â…¢ clinical trials are under way in most, only one by a number of countries to participate in a randomized controlled clinical trials (H0648g test) the results have been reported. A total of 469 cases of HER2 overexpression in metastatic breast cancer patients enrolled in the trial, they were randomly divided into receiving standard doses of chemotherapy (doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide program, or paclitaxel) and Herceptin plus chemotherapy (Herceptin ) combination therapy. The results with Herceptin plus (Herceptin) in patients with total remission rate of group than the control group response rate increased by 23 ~ 32% extension of median time to progression of 3 months, 2-year overall survival rate has improved significantly.
In short, Herceptin (Herceptin) is the first effective in breast cancer showed that the biological effect of treatment, but also of human basic research into clinical applications for the model. Herceptin (Herceptin) has a good safety, when it is combined with chemotherapy for patients with metastatic breast cancer can be significantly extended the survival time of patients.
