How Do Anti-HER2 Antineoplastics Work?

Anti-hormone epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) antineoplastics are a class of drugs used to treat HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body and cannot be treated with surgery in adults who have already been treated with at least one other chemotherapy medication.

They are a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody that targets the extracellular dimerization domain of the HER2 protein.

Anti-HER2 antineoplastics are administered as a liquid or as a powder to be mixed with a liquid and to be injected intravenously (into a vein) and orally.

Anti-HER2 antineoplastics work in the following ways:

• They work by slowing down or stopping the growth of cancer cells.
• They belong to a class known as "kinase inhibitors" that work by blocking the action of the abnormal protein that signals cancer cells to multiply.

Antineoplastics anti-HER2 are used to treat conditions such as:

• Breast cancer
• Gastric cancer
• Pancreatic cancer 
• Esophageal cancer

Some of the common side effects include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Mouth sores
• Mild rash
• Dry skin
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain
• Headache
• Changes in ability to taste
• Tiredness/weakness
• Back/joint pain
• Loss of appetite

Other rare side effects include:

• Dizziness (feeling faint, weak, or unsteady)
• Fatigue 
• Weight loss
• Hair loss
• Blurry vision
• Anemia (low red blood cell count)
• Swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
• Insomnia 
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Tachycardia (fast heart rate)
• Shortness of breath
• Chills, sore throat, fever, or cough
• Numbness, burning, or tingling in the hands or feet

Information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible side effects, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure these drugs do not cause any harm when you take them along with other medicines. Never stop taking your medication and never change your dose or frequency without consulting your doctor.

Generic and brand names of anti-HER2 antineoplastics include:

• Ado-trastuzumab emtansine
• Enhertu
• Fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki
• Herceptin
• Herceptin hylecta
• Herzuma
• Kadcyla
• Kanjinti
• Lapatinib
• Margenza
• Margetuximab
• Margetuximab-cmkb
• Neratinib
• Nerlynx
• Ogivri
• Ontruzant
• Perjeta
• Pertuzumab
• Pertuzumab-trastuzumab-hyaluronidase-zzxf
• Pertuzumab/trastuzumab/hyaluronidase
• Phesgo
• Trastuzumab
• Trastuzumab deruxtecan
• Trastuzumab-anns
• Trastuzumab-dkst
• Trastuzumab-dttb
• Trastuzumab-hyaluronidase-oysk
• Trastuzumab-pkrb
• Trastuzumab-qyyp
• Trastuzumab/hyaluronidase
• Trazimera
• Tucatinib
• Tukysa
• Tykerb