Difference between Herceptin & Tamox

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kcq
kcq Member Posts: 166
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer
Difference between Herceptin & Tamox
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  • kcq
    kcq Member Posts: 166
    edited May 2008

    Can someone help me understand (plain english, no medical terms) what the difference in taking these two drugs are for?  My onc truly has told me twice before, but still dont understand.  I am afraid he will think I am nuts asking him yet another time.  What is it that Herceptin does versus Tamox?  Thanks

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  • Cathy-CA
    Cathy-CA Member Posts: 686
    edited May 2008

    I'll give it a try.   There are different things that "feed" breast cancer.  You are both estrogen receptor positive and Her2/neu positive.  This means your cancer likes estrogen and you overproduce Her2/neu which can cause cancer to grow.  Tamoxifen binds with estrogen to keep the cancer from feeding on it.  Herceptin acts on the Her2/neu protein.

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