HER2-negative breast cancers have normal levels of the protein HER2, whereasHER2-positive breast cancershave elevated protein levels.
Mastectomy
A breast surgeon removes the whole breast and surrounding tissues during amastectomy.
If breast-conserving surgery is chosen, radiation is also usually needed.
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Lymph node surgery can be done simultaneously with a mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery or during a second operation.
A medical doctor called a radiation oncologist administers the treatment.
Radiation is usedafter breast-conserving surgeryto help prevent cancerous cells from returning to the breast or closeby lymph nodes.
The drugs are administered in three- to six-month cycles, typically lasting two or three weeks.
Keep in mind that not everyone with HER2-negative breast cancer needs chemotherapy.
Hormone treatments work by lowering estrogen levels or blocking the action of estrogen.
Their side effects are different from that of traditional chemotherapy.
These medications are taken as pills and are part of a newer drug class called cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors.
They target proteins involved in breast cancer growth.
They block PARP proteins, which help repair damaged DNA inside cells.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapyuses the body’simmune systemto manage various diseases.
Drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors can be used to treat certain types of metastatic breast cancer.
What Are Immune Checkpoints?
Immune “checkpoints” are proteins that usually help your immune system distinguish between healthy and dangerous cells.
Breast cancer cells can mimic checkpoint proteins to avoid being detected by the immune system.
One IV drug, Keytruda (pembrolizumab), targets a checkpoint protein called PD-1.
Once bound to the cell, Trodelvy causes the death of the cancer cell.
Trodelvy is used to treat HR-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer.
It’s important to understand that these practices are done along with your breast cancer treatments.
They should never replace standard medical care.
These products are derived from the marijuana plantCannabis sativa.
Some therapies may not be suitable or safe when combined with conventional breast cancer treatments.
Lifestyle
You cannot treat breast cancer with lifestyle behaviors.
Complementary therapies can help ease cancer-related symptoms but should never replace standard medical care.
This pertains to people of all genders.
If you are female, talk with your healthcare provider about undergoing screening mammograms.
Amammogramcan detect breast cancer before symptoms arise.
If you are transgender, talk with your healthcare provider about what screening is recommended for you.
Treatment of early-stage breast cancer typically entails breast-conserving surgery with radiation or a simple mastectomy.
After surgery, hormone therapy with tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor may be given if the cancer is hormone-receptor-positive.
Generally speaking, yes.
That said HER2-positive breast cancers can respond to drugs that target and block the HER2 protein.
These drugs include Herceptin (trastuzumab) and Perjeta (pertuzumab).
Metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer is usually treated with medications that can help manage, not cure, the cancer.
These may include hormone therapy (if the cancer is hormone-receptor-positive) or chemotherapy.
Targeted drugs like Ibrance (palbociclib) or the immunotherapy Keytruda (pembrolizumab) may also be considered.
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