Is Kadcyla a chemotherapy drug? How does it work?
- Kadcyla is made up of two cancer-fighting medicines: a HER2-targeted drug treatment and a chemotherapy drug. It is used for the treatment of patients with HER2+ breast cancer.
- Kadcyla is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion at a doctor’s office, clinic or hospital. When you receive Kadcyla, you are getting both medications at the same time.
- Your doctor will determine if you are a candidate for Kadcyla treatment based on a specific test.
Targeted drug therapies find and attack specific types of cancer cells and may cause less damage to healthy cells. Common and serious side effects may still occur with targeted drug therapies.
How does Kadcyla work to kill cancer?
Cells grow and divide too fast In HER2+ breast cancer because they have too many HER2 receptors.
Kadcyla (ado-trastuzumab emtansine) is thought to work in this way:
- Kadcyla finds and attaches to receptors on the outside of the HER2+ cells. Here it works by stopping cell growth and increasing the effect of the immune system to kill the cancer cells.
- It also goes inside the cell and breaks apart to release the chemotherapy. The chemotherapy works inside the cell, causing the cell to die.
- Kadcyla is known technically as a HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugate.
Although Kadcyla is made to cause less harm to normal cells, it can still affect them. Kadcyla can cause serious and common side effects. Talk to your doctor about what side effects you may experience during treatment.
Learn more: What are common Kadcyla side effects?
This is not all the information you need to know about Kadcyla (ado-trastuzumab emtansine) for safe and effective use and does not take the place of talking to your doctor about your treatment. Review the full Kadcyla information here and discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.
Related questions
References
- Kadcyla (ado-trastuzumab emtansine) prescribing information. Genentech Inc. South San Francisco, CA. Accessed July 27, 2021 at https://www.gene.com/download/pdf/kadcyla_prescribing.pdf
- Kadcyla.com. Genentech. Accessed July 27, 2021 at https://www.kadcyla.com/patient/how-kadcyla-works.html
Read next
How long can you take Kadcyla?
For HER2+ early-stage breast cancer, Kadcyla is given as an intravenous (IV) injection every 3 weeks for a total of 14 cycles. For HER2+ metastatic breast cancer that has spread, Kadcyla is given once every 3 weeks on an ongoing basis. In both cases, you may need to stop treatment if the cancer returns or the side effects are intolerable. Continue reading
What is the strongest chemotherapy drug for breast cancer?
Doxorubicin is considered one of the strongest chemotherapy drugs for breast cancer ever invented. It can kill cancer cells at every point in their life cycle, and it's used to treat a wide variety of cancers, not just breast cancer. Doxorubicin is also known as “The Red Devil” because it is a clear bright red color. It can cause your urine or other body fluids to turn a reddish color for 1 to 2 days after a dose is given, which is normal and temporary. Continue reading
How long do letrozole side effects last?
Most side effects of letrozole are mild and temporary, lasting only a few days or weeks until your body gets used to taking the medication. Some other side effects of letrozole take a few months to develop and tend to persist long term until you stop taking letrozole. The half-life of letrozole is 2 days, so once you stop taking letrozole, you might continue to experience side effects for about a week to 10 days after your last dose. Continue reading
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