Herceptin in pill form??

[Terri B]

I haven't heard of this here, unless i missed it!

My surgeon said "yes, they have come a long way"

I'm thrilled! But I'm wondering why I haven't heard about it on here. I was thinking I would have to do infusions for a year!

Anyone heard of this?

[Lani]

works a different way on the same target as herceptin. It is called tykerb or lapatinib and is available as a pill and is at present only FDA approved to be used for those with metastatic disease and only with another oral chemotherapy pill xeloda aka capecitabine.

Whereas herceptin latches onto the her2 receptor from the outside of the membrane, lapatinib (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor which also works against her2's cousin her1, aka EGFR) WORKS AGAINST IT FROM THE INSIDE OF THE membrane.

Not everyone responds to herceptin or to lapatinib and the things which make the tumors resistant seem to be different between herceptin and lapatinib.

The big difference besides being in pill form is that lapatinib seems to cross the blood brain barrier and is therefore theoretically better at treating and perhaps preventing brain mets (that is not known yet). Also lapatinib seems to cause more diarrhea, even it seems when given without xeloda.

There is now a trial which combines the two in early breast cancer and compares it with the results of either alone.. but virtually all trials require chemo as well.

Hope this helped!

[Terri B]

Thanks for the info, Lani! Great news I think!