Herceptin is used for w hich cancer -

Ans. is 'a' i.e., BreastHenceptin (Trastuzumab)o Herceptin is a humanized antibody and is used in breast cancers which are HER2 positive,o HER2 stands for '.-human epidermal growth factor receptor.o HER2 gene produces HER2 protein also called HER2 receptor.o The HER2 protein is found on the surface of some normal cells in the body. In normal cells HER2 protein help send growth signals from outside the cell to the inside of the cell.These signals tell the cell to grow and divide.o In HER2 (+ve) breast cancer the cancer cells have abnormally high number of HER2 genes per cell when this happens too much HER2 protein appears on the surface of these cancer cells,o This is called HER2 protein over expression. Too much HER2 protein is thought to cause cancer cells to grow and divide uncontrollably.Herceptin acts in two ways:Herceptin attaches to HER2+ cancer cells and stimulates the bodys immune system to target the HER2+ cancer cellsHerceptin attaches itself to the HER2 receptors on the surface and blocks them from receiving the signals,o Currently transtuzumab is approved for HER2/neu overexpressing metastatic breast cancer in combination with paclitaxel as initial treatment or as monotherapy following chemotherapy.