Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/85232
092: health&wellbeing Since 2006, Pink has followed the breast cancer treatment called Herceptin (also known as trastuzumab, (tras-too-zoo-mab)), and this year we are taking the opportunity to once again see what has been reported from trials in this area. HER2 (human epidermal receptor growth factor type 2) breast cancer, for those who are unfamiliar, is a specific type of breast cancer. HER2 is a receptor that is found on all normal cells and in HER2 positive breast cancer it is found in numbers many times higher than normal cells. Cancers with too many copies of the HER2 gene or too many HER2 receptors tend to grow quickly and are thought to be more aggressive. HER2 positivity is identified by a number of tests done by a pathologist when a woman is first diagnosed with cancer. This is important in determining treatment as only HER2 positive cancers benefit from these medicines. UPDATE ON HERCEPTIN IN EARLY BREAST CANCER The BCIRG006 trial The last of the large early breast cancer trials, BCIRG006 (one of the North American trials), was published in late 2011. The publication of the trial confirmed the previously presented outcomes from this trial. Women were enrolled in one of three arms of the trial comparing chemotherapy alone to two different types of chemotherapy given in combination with Herceptin given for one year. With just over five years follow-up, women who received Herceptin showed better disease free survival (either the cancer has not returned or death from any cause was reduced). Women were a third less likely to have their cancer return, or one in three who would have had their cancer return, didn't. These same women also showed better survival with the risk of dying also reduced by a third. Another important result in this trial was that one of the combinations of chemotherapy with Herceptin showed a very low risk of cardiac (heart) side effects. These results confirm the previously reported HERA (the international HERceptin Adjuvant trial) and North American studies showing the one year of Herceptin significantly lowers the risk of breast cancer returning. More studies are expected to report soon of other durations of Herceptin including six months and two years. The HANNAH trial This trial looked at a new way of giving Herceptin. Herceptin is currently given by infusion into a vein. This can take time and means patients have to go into hospital every three weeks to receive their treatment. Roche have worked on a new way of giving Herceptin as an injection under the skin (subcutaneous or SC). The HANNAH trial was presented at a conference in Europe in March. It showed the new way of giving Herceptin appears to give the same benefit as in women who had Herceptin the traditional way. This may make it easier for women to receive their Herceptin in the future. However the formulation is not yet registered or available in New Zealand. Herceptin trastuzumab An update on clinical trials for HER2 breast cancer positive