Targeted therapy

Authors: Sarah Gierahn Nielsen, med. student & Hanne Melgaard Nielsen, MD

Since 2006 , where trastuzumab (a monoclonal antibody) has been offered as adjuvant treatment to HER-2 positive patients, the risk of recurrence have been significantly reduced. It may be given as a subcutaneous injection every three weeks for 17 rounds starting at the time as the taxane-based adjuvant chemotherapy.

Monoclonal antibody (mAb or moAb) are designed in vitro molecules and designed to bind to antigens. The mAb can assist the immune system by in several different ways:

• Flagging cancer cells
• Triggering cell-membrane destruction
• Blocking cell-growth
• Preventing blood vessel growth
• Blocking immune system inhibitors
• Attacking cancer cells directly
• Delivering radiation treatment
• Delivering chemotherapy
• Binding cancer and immune cells