Breast Cancer Treatment Options: Biologic Therapy
Biologic therapy is treatment with substances that are made naturally in the body or that can block the growth of cancer cells. This approach is designed to minimize the side effects associated with traditional treatments like chemotherapy.
Biologic therapies are produced in a laboratory and given to patients to:
- boost the body's ability to fight the disease
- direct the immune system's disease fighting powers to disease cells
- strengthen a weakened immune system
Types
Biologics include nonspecific immunomodulating agents, interferons, interleukins, colony-stimulating factors, monoclonal antibodies and vaccines.
- Trastuzumab (Herceptin®) is the most common biological therapy used for breast cancer. It is a type of monoclonal antibody that attaches to the Her2 receptor, a particular type of protein on some breast cancer cells that make them grow. Herceptin blocks the signals and can slow or stop the growth of the tumor, as well as also increases the effect of chemotherapy drugs on breast cancer cells.
- Lapatinib (Tykerb®) against HER2-positive breast cancers by blocking certain proteins that can cause uncontrolled cell growth.
- Bevacizumab (Avastin®) is an angiogenesis inhibitor that works by blocking the growth of new blood vessels that cancer cells depend on to grow and function.
Trial Administration