Pertuzumab
Pertuzumab works by binding to HER2, a protein found in high levels on some cancer cells and causes them to grow. The binding of pertuzumab to HER2 blocks these signals, causing the cells to stop growing and die. Pertuzumab also triggers a type of immune reaction that kills cells that have a lot of HER2. It is a type of targeted therapy drug called a monoclonal antibody.
FDA label information for this drug is available at DailyMed.
Use in Cancer
Pertuzumab is approved to be used with trastuzumab and either docetaxel or other drugs to treat:
- Breast cancer that is HER2 positive (HER2+). It is used:
- in patients with metastatic disease that has not been treated with anti-HER2 therapy or chemotherapy for metastatic cancer
- as neoadjuvant therapy (to shrink the tumor before surgery) in patients with locally advanced, inflammatory, or early stage breast cancer
- as adjuvant therapy in patients with early stage breast cancer who have a high risk that the cancer will come back
Pertuzumab is also available in a different form, combined with trastuzumab and hyaluronidase. For more information, see the Drug Information Summary for Pertuzumab, Trastuzumab, and Hyaluronidase-zzxf.
Pertuzumab is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.
More About Pertuzumab
Definition from the NCI Drug Dictionary - Detailed scientific definition and other names for this drug.
MedlinePlus Information on Pertuzumab - A lay language summary of important information about this drug that may include the following:
- warnings about this drug,
- what this drug is used for and how it is used,
- what you should tell your doctor before using this drug,
- what you should know about this drug before using it,
- other drugs that may interact with this drug, and
- possible side effects.
Drugs are often studied to find out if they can help treat or prevent conditions other than the ones they are approved for. This patient information sheet applies only to approved uses of the drug. However, much of the information may also apply to unapproved uses that are being studied.
Research Results and Related Resources
Targeted Therapy to Treat Cancer
Clinical Trials Accepting Patients
Find Clinical Trials for Pertuzumab - Check for trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials now accepting patients.