- First Clicks
- MBC FAQ
- NEWS online about MBC
- Newly Diagnosed?
- Standard Treatments A - G
- Standard Treatments H - Z
- NCCN Chemo and HER2-directed Treatment Guidelines UPDATED 2012
- NCCN Hormonal Treatment Guidelines UPDATED 2012
- FREE! Guide to Living with Metastatic Disease
- MBC Advocacy and Awareness
- Clinical Trials NEW for 2011
- Readings: Research and Emerging Treatments
- Pam's List of Helpful Products and Remedies
- About Musa
- More Resources
- Contact Musa
- Privacy Statement
- Rate this website
Treatments in Common Use for Metastatic Breast Cancer H - Z
Four fundamentally different kinds of drugs are used to treat metastatic breast cancer:
· Cytotoxic chemotherapy: Cytotoxic (cell-killing) chemotherapy drugs are poisons that disrupt cancer cell functions, usually while a cell is dividing. Listed in yellow.
· Hormonal treatments: Hormonal treatments target breast cancers that grow in the presence of estrogen (and sometimes progesterone), and are used only for tumors that are ER+ and/or PR+ Listed in blue.
· Targeted therapies or biologics: Targeted therapies are biologics that target specific genes that make proteins that stimulate cell growth (oncogenes), and may only work if the tumor overexpresses certain proteins. Listed in pink.
· Other common medications: Intravenous bisphosphonates for bone metastases, and biological response modifiers that offer growth- factor support for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Listed in orange.
|
Brand Name |
Generic Name |
Drug Type and Administration |
Prescribing Information |
Links to Patient-Friendly info |
|
eribulin mesylate |
Cytotoxic chemotherapy: Non-taxane microtubule inhibitor, IV injection |
|||
|
Halotestin® |
fluoxymesterone |
Hormone therapy: Androgen, male hormone Oral (older treatment, rarely used now) |
||
|
trastuzumab |
Monoclonal antibody: inhibitor of HER2 Targeted for HER2+ breast cancer only IV infusion, 1 or 3 weekly |
|||
|
ixabepilone |
Cytotoxic chemotherapy: Non-taxane microtubule inhibitor, IV infusion, 3 weekly |
|||
|
leuprolide |
Hormonal therapy: LHRH agonist, stops ovarian function SubQ injection (similar to Zoladex) |
|||
|
Megace® |
megestrol acetate |
Hormone therapy: Progesterone Oral, daily (older treatment, rarely used) |
RxLabel |
|
|
Methotrexate |
methotrexate |
Cytotoxic chemotherapy: Antimetabolite IV infusion, injection, intrathecal |
RxLabel |
|
|
Mutamycin® |
mitomycin-C |
Cytotoxic chemotherapy: Anti-tumor antibiotic IV injection or infusion (investigational) |
||
|
Navelbine® |
vinorelbine tartrate |
Cytotoxic chemotherapy: Vinka alkaloid IV injection |
||
|
pegfilgrastim |
Biologic response modifier: Boosts white blood cell production to avoid febrile neutropenia (Like Neupogen but longer-lasting) SubQ injection |
|||
|
Neupogen® G-CSF granulocyte-colony stimulating factor |
filgrastim |
Biologic response modifier: Stimulates white-blood cell production, helps chemotherapy patients avoid infection SubQ or IV injection, as needed |
||
|
Nolvadex® |
tamoxifen |
Hormone therapy: anti-estrogen Selective estrogen receptor modulator Oral, daily |
||
|
Novantrone® |
mitoxantrone |
Cytotoxic chemotherapy: Anti-tumor antibiotic IV injection (investigational) |
||
|
carboplatin |
Cytotoxic chemotherapy: Alkylating agent Platinum chemotherapy IV infusion |
|||
|
Platinol® |
cisplatin |
Cytotoxic chemotherapy: Alkylating agent, Platinum chemotherapy IV infusion (less common than carboplatin) |
||
|
epoetin alfa |
Colony stimulating factor: Treatment for anemia caused by chemotherapy Injection, daily as needed |
|||
|
Taxol® |
paclitaxel |
Cytotoxic chemotherapy: Plant alkyloid, microtubule agent, taxane IV infusion |
||
|
docetaxel |
Cytotoxic chemotherapy: Taxane IV infusion |
|||
|
temozolomide |
Cytotoxic chemotherapy: Alkylating agent Oral (only used for brain metastases) |
|||
|
Toremifine® |
fareston |
Hormonal treatment: Selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) Oral, daily (similar to tamoxifen, rarely used) |
||
|
lapatinib |
Tyrosine kinase inhibitor of HER2 and EGFR: for HER2+ breast cancer only Oral, daily |
|||
|
capecitabine |
Cytotoxic chemotherapy: Oral antimetabolite (a form of 5-fluouracil) Oral daily (intermittent schedule) |
|||
|
denosumab |
RankL (ligand) inhibitor: decreases hypercalcemia, fractures and pain in patients with bone metastases. Denosumab or IV bisphosphonate are standard of care for bone metastases |
|||
|
Zoladex® |
goserelin |
Hormone therapy: LHRH agonist, stops ovarian function SubQ injection, monthly (similar to Lupron) |
||
|
zoledronic acid |
Bisphosphonate: decreases hypercalcemia, fractures, pain in patients with bone mets Standard of care for bone metastases IV, monthly or less frequently |
© Copyright Musa Mayer 2011