Herceptin
Herceptin is the brand name of a medicine called trastuzumab. It's used to treat some types of Breast cancer , oesophageal cancer and stomach cancer .
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Who may not be able to have it
Find out about Herceptin (trastuzumab), including how it works, when it's used, how it's given and what the possible side effects are.
Herceptin can help control the growth of cancer cells that contain high amounts of HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2). HER2 is found in all human cells. It controls cell growth and repai
Herceptin can be used to treat: early HER2 positive breast cancer, following surgery and/or radiotherapy and chemotherapy , to reduce the risk ofthe cancer coming back advanced HER2 positive breas
Herceptin is given during visits to a hospital or clinic. Itcan begiven in two ways: by infusion where the medication is fed slowly into your bloodstream through a drip; the first treatment usually
Herceptin often causes side effects, although many of these will become less severeover time. The following side effects affectaround 1 in 10 people: a reaction to the medication this can cause chi
Heart problems can sometimes develop while you're on Herceptin and they can be serious. Before treatment starts, you'll have a test to see how well your heart is working for example, an ultrasound sc
Herceptin shouldn't be used to treat people with breast, oesophageal or stomach cancer that isn't HER2 positive. It may also not be suitable if: you have a pre-existing heart condition, such as hea
The Yellow Card Scheme allows you to report suspected side effects from any type of medicine you're taking. The scheme is run by medicines safety watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regu