What about the medication for breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a common malignant neoplasm with a variety of treatments, including surgery, treatment, chemotherapy, endocrine treatment, target-oriented treatment and immunotherapy. Drug treatment plays a crucial role in the treatment of breast cancer, especially in cases of late-stage breast cancer that cannot be surgically removed or post-operatively assisted treatment, which can effectively reduce the risk of relapse, prolong life and improve the quality of life. The following are the main types and mechanisms for the treatment of breast cancer drugs.
1. Chemothephy
chemotherapy is the traditional method of breast cancer treatment, which kills or inhibits the growth of cancer cells by using chemical drugs. chemotherapy is often used for local control of tumours, post-operative assistive treatment and treatment of transgenic breast cancer. Commonly used chemotherapy drugs include:
Taxanes: For example, Docetaxel and Paclitaxel can inhibit cell division by interfering with the micropipe function of the cancer cell.
Anthracyclines: Doxorubicin and Epirubicin, for example, cause cancer cells to die by inserting DNA and interfering with its reproduction and transfer.
Platinium chemotherapy: Cisplatin, which is effective for some HeR2-positive or BRCA-modified breast cancer.
Fluorouracil: often used for early breast cancer as part of joint chemotherapy.
The chemotherapy drugs are usually given by intravenous injection or oral administration, and depending on the patient ‘ s specific circumstances, the type of breast cancer and the period, doctors choose different chemotherapy programmes.
2. Endocrine Therapy
Endocrine treatment is used mainly for hormonal receptor-positive breast cancer (about 70 per cent of breast cancer) to inhibit the growth of cancer cells by disrupting estrogen or inhibiting hormone receptors. Common endocrine treatment drugs include:
Tamoxifen: is a selective estrogen receptor (SERM) that disrupts estrogen through competitive integration. The frequent use of menstruation as a post-operative support for breast cancer can significantly reduce the risk of relapse.
Aromatic Inhibitors: Anastrozole, Letrozole and Exemestane. By inhibiting aromatic enzymes, these drugs reduce the generation of estrogens in the body and apply to post-menopausal women.
Fulvestrant: A estrogen receptor degradation agent that inhibits its role in cancer cells by causing estrogen receptor degradation. It’s usually used for drug-resistant patients.
Endocrine treatment usually lasts for several years and helps reduce the risk of re-emergence of hormonal positive breast cancer.
3. Targeted Therapy
Target therapy is treated through precision targets to specific molecules in the cancer cell, which is less damaging to normal cells than traditional chemotherapy. The most common targets are:
Her2 Target Treatment: Her2 is a receptor to the surface of breast cancer cells, and about 15-20% of breast cancer is Her2 positive. Common HER2 target drugs include:
Trastuzumab: Interrupts the transmission of signals, inhibits the growth of cancer cells and activates the immune system by combining the HER2 receptor.
Pertuzumab: A single-use anti-curtrusion, which can double-depress the signal transfer of the HeR2 receptor and enhance the efficacy of the treatment.
Lapatinib: an oral double-targeting drug for Her2 and EGR receptors.
CDK4/6 inhibitors: e.g. Palbocicciclib, Ribeciccrib and Abemaciclib, which prevent tumour cell fragmentation by inhibiting cytology-cycle protein dependence (CDK) 4 and 6, often used in HR positive and HER2 negative breast cancer.
PI3K/AKT/mTOR road inhibitor, such as Pictilisib, which is used to suppress specific signal access within breast cancer cells, particularly in cases of mutation in the PIK3CA gene.
4. Immunization treatment (Immunotherapy)
Immunization treatment identifies and attacks cancer cells by activation of the patient ‘ s immune system. Although the current use of breast cancer is still at the research stage, in some types of breast cancer, immunosuppressants have shown potential.
PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors: e.g., Pembolizumab and Nivolumab. By inhibiting the combination of PD-L1 on the surface of cancer cells with PD-1 receptors on immunocellular cells, these drugs enhance the immune response of T-cells and thus attack cancer cells. In particular, TNBC has some effect.
5. PARP Inhibitors
PARP inhibitors are used mainly for breast cancer patients with a mutation of the BRCA gene, especially those associated with a mutation of the BRCA1/2 gene. Commonly used PARP inhibitors include:
Olaparib and Talazoparib. By inhibiting DNA repair mechanisms, these drugs prevent cancer cells from repairing their DNA damage, which eventually leads to cancer cell deaths.
Summary
There is a wide range of medications for breast cancer, and the choice of specific treatment options depends on the type, stage, age, physical condition of the patient and the existence of a specific genetic mutation. The combination of chemotherapy, endocrinotherapy, target-oriented treatment, immunotherapy, etc. has significantly improved the cure and survival of breast cancer patients. As medical research progresses, new drugs and treatments are being developed, and breast cancer treatment will become more personalized and accurate in the future.
Breast cancer
