Herceptin (trastuzumab) is a monoclonal antibody medication used to treat HER2-positive breast cancer. It is a targeted therapy that works by blocking the HER2 protein, which is found on the surface of cancer cells. Herceptin can be used to treat early-stage and advanced-stage breast cancer, and it can be used in combination with other chemotherapy drugs or as a single agent.
Herceptin was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1998, and it has since become one of the most widely used cancer drugs in the world. It has been shown to be effective in improving survival rates and reducing the risk of recurrence in women with HER2-positive breast cancer. Herceptin is generally well-tolerated, but it can cause side effects such as diarrhea, nausea, and fatigue. Herceptin is available in both intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) formulations.
