Medications

Medications used in the treatment of breast cancer have two purposes:

  1. Prevent, reduce, or manage side effects
  2. Prevent further growth of cancerous cells

Medications used to prevent, reduce, or manage side effects include:

  • Anti-nausea
    • treat and prevent nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy or radiation
  • Corticosteroids
    • minimize inflammation and relieve pain from inflammation
  • Opioids
    • relieve pain
    • can be addicting
  • Biphosphonates
    • strengthen bone and increase bone mass
    • take on an empty stomach (first thing in the morning)
    • sit upright for 30 minutes following administration
  • Blood Stem Cell Support Drugs
    • Fligrastim- helps bone marrow make new white blood cells to decrease infection risk
    • Epoetin- helps bone marrow make new red blood cells to prevent anemia
      • two-week delay in results
  • Pain Relievers
  • Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
    • relieve pain and inflammation

Medications used to prevent further growth of cancerous cells:

  • Biological therapy- uses substances normally produced by the body to treat cancer.
    • Interferon- interfere with the division of cancer cells and slow their growth
    • Interleukin- boosts part of the immune system to fight cancer
  • Targeted Therapy- works with specific characteristics of cancer cells to slow and prevent tumor growth.
    • Afinitor (everolimus)- works against hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers by depriving them of the energy they need
    • Avastin (bevacizumab)- blocks the growth of new blood vessels that cancer cells depend on to grow and function. This medication is not currently approved by the FDA for use in breast cancer because it has not shown to be safe and effective for treatment.
    • Herceptin (trastuzumab)- works against HER2-positive breast cancers by blocking the ability of the cancer cells to receive chemical signals that tell the cells to grow
    • Ibrance (palbociclib)- stops cancer cells from growing and dividng
    • Kadcyla (ado-trastuzumab emtansine)- combination of Herceptin and the chemotherapy medicine emtansine
    • Perjeta (pertuzumab)- blocks the cancer cells’ ability to receive growth signals
    • Tykerb (lapatinib)- blocks certain proteins that can cause uncontrolled cell growth
  • Hormone blocking therapy- takes advantage of the fact that many breast cancers are estrogen sensitive.
    • Aromatase inhibitors (Arimidex, Aromasin, Femara)- stops the production of estrogen in postmeopausal women by blocking the enzyme aromatase.
    •  Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (Tamoxifen, Evista, Fareston)- block the effects of estrogen in the breast tissue by sitting on the estrogen receptors in the breast.
    • Estrogen Receptor Downregulators (Faslodex)- block the effects of estrogen in breast tissue by blocking the estrogen receptors in the breast, reducing the number of estrogen receptors in the breast, and changing the shape of the estrogen receptors.

Referenced:

Badash, M. (2014, December 1). Other Treatments for Breast Cancer. Retrieved September 14, 2015.

Badash, M. (2014, December 1). Medications for Breast Cancer. Retrieved September 14, 2015.

Hormonal Therapies. (2015, March 5). Retrieved September 16, 2015.

Targeted Therapies. (2015, June 9). Retrieved September 16, 2015.