JUNE 25, 2019
About one of every five breast cancers presents with high levels of HER2 proteins. Known as HER2-positive breast cancer, these tumors typically show an aggressive behavior—a greater likelihood of metastasis and relapse and decreased patient survival than HER2 negative types—and are physiologically dependent on the abundance of HER2. These findings prompted the question, if we take HER2 away from 'HER2-addicted' cancers, would cancer slow down?
Extensive research in the 1980s and '90s showed that, indeed, treating HER2-positive breast cancer cells with antibodies that bind specifically to HER2 could slow down the cells' growth in a laboratory dish.
These findings were confirmed in mouse models and subsequently led to the development of a HER2-specific antibody called trastuzumab for use in humans. Trastuzumab blocks the communication between HER2 and the tumor cells and elicits an immune response against the cancer cells by engaging the host's immune system.
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https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-06-de-escalating-breast-cancer-therapycan-patients.html