Hello! My name is Isha Lahai and this is my e-portfolio for Immunology.
Find me a –mAb
The monoclonal antibody drug that I’ve decided to research is Herceptin also known as
Trastuzumab, which is the chemical name for the drug. The medicine helps in the treatment of
Breast cancer patients that carry the positive HER2 gene that procreate a receptor gene known as
the HER2 receptor which, picks up signals that inhibit growth in the body to continue producing
the HER2 cells in uncontrollable numbers. In order to prevent breast cancer cells from getting
growth signals, Herceptin binds to the HER2 receptors on their surface.
Herceptin works by inhibiting signaling to slow down the growth or stop the growth of breast
cancer. In addition to inhibiting the HER2 receptor, Herceptin may help fight breast cancer by
signaling the immune system to eliminate cancer cells to which it adheres (Herceptin, n.d.). As
well as being used for the treatment of HER2 gene growth this drug can be used after before and
after chemotherapy to stop any form of recurrence taking place in the body.
Two common tests are done to identify the HER2 gene which would be FISH (Fluorescence In
Situ Hybridization) and IHC (ImmunoHistoChemistry). FISH is used by a particular dye that
when reacted with the HER2 gene will illuminate color. IHC is used by staining the breast tissue
with a dye which also identifies the HER2 gene but differs by giving a score that indicates the
possible number of proteins on the surface of the cell, with a score of 2+ being the borderline and
a score of 3+ being considered HER2- positive (Herceptin, n.d.).
Often called stage IV breast cancer, metastatic breast cancer is defined as breast cancer that has
progressed to other organs, mostly our lungs, brain, and other internal organs, causing major
damage to how our body fully functions. The cancer cells from the original breast tumor pass
through our lymphatic system to the other parts of our body marking this process as one called
metastasis. Breast cancer can spread over to different parts of the body even after treatment
causing a recurrence.
It is important to verify the presence of possible breast cancer activity before looking for
treatment because that could largely affect what treatment is available to those that are looking to
be treated. That is because there are specific hormone receptors from the HER2 protein that can
affect the results of treatment in each patient especially if there’s a chance that it could spread
across varyingly to different parts of the body. The best possible thing to do is assume that the
HER2 receptors from before or like the ones that were seen for diagnoses at the beginning of
breast cancer journey.
There have been studies that are conducted on the HER2 hormone receptors that determine that
there can be some form of metastatic recurrence that is not necessarily similar to the breast
cancer genes from early diagnosis. Systemic medicinal products are medicines used by doctors
to treat metastatic cancer in all parts of the body. The body’s cancer is treated with these systemic
medicines. In the article it is explained that “Chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, targeted
therapies, and immunotherapy are all systemic medications (Lee, 2022)”.
-mAb Drawing
Draw IgM
End-of-Term-Reflection
Something I learned that truly resonated with me would be, the last chapter done in class (chapter 13) specifically part five where the “Other Barrier of immune systems” is explained and broken down by cell counterpart function. The other coursework that I take such as fundamentals of anatomy and physiology correlate really well with this particular subject and further exemplifies the importance of the health and wellness of our immune system and how it ensures the wellness and fluidity of the other systems that function in our bodies. Looking back at the trajectory of the semester I’ve learned a lot from this class that I know will be relevant as I continue my academic journey through biomedical sciences and eventually Doctorate of medicine.