Science Behind Targeted Treatments

Video:
Taking Tarceva

Tarceva is a once-a-day pill. You should not take Tarceva with food. Taking Tarceva with food may increase your chances of developing side effects.

Human epidermal growth factor receptors (HER) are protein molecules involved in normal cellular growth. Abnormal regulation of these molecules has been found to play a central role in cancer.

Tarceva (erlotinib) is a targeted treatment. Unlike many other traditional chemotherapies, Tarceva affects certain cell activities. Tarceva is designed to block tumor cell growth by targeting the protein HER1/EGFR. This protein, which is present on the surface of some cancer cells and some normal cells, is important for cell growth in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Specifically, Tarceva targets tyrosine kinase, an enzyme that is part of the HER1/EGFR receptor, one of the HER family. Exactly how Tarceva works is not yet fully understood; however, clinical trial results have proven that, in some patients, Tarceva can be effective in both improving patients' survival and slowing or stopping the growth of cancer.

Indication and Usage for Lung Cancer Patients

Tarceva monotherapy is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer after failure of at least one prior chemotherapy regimen.

Results from two, multicenter, placebo-controlled, randomized, Phase III trials conducted in first-line patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC showed no clinical benefit with the concurrent administration of Tarceva with platinum-based chemotherapy [carboplatin and paclitaxel or gemcitabine and cisplatin] and its use is not recommended in that setting.