Description
Trastuzumab (canmab)
Trastuzumab is a monoclonal antibody used in oncology for cancers that overexpress or amplify HER2. The product name “canmab” could not be independently verified from the available official sources, so this overview is based on verified trastuzumab information.
Active Ingredient and Medicine Class
The active ingredient is trastuzumab, a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody and HER2-targeted anticancer medicine. It binds to the HER2 receptor on tumour cells. Trastuzumab products are approved in the United States for HER2-overexpressing breast cancer and metastatic HER2-overexpressing gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer.
Established Medical Uses
Trastuzumab is used for selected HER2-positive cancers, especially breast cancer and metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer with HER2 overexpression. In gastric cancer, official labeling and reviews note that HER2 testing and interpretation differ from breast cancer because gastric tumours may show more heterogeneous and incomplete membrane staining.
How It Works
Trastuzumab targets the HER2 protein, which can drive tumour growth and survival when overexpressed. By binding HER2, it helps block HER2-mediated signalling and can also recruit immune-mediated antitumour activity. This mechanism is the basis for its use in HER2-positive cancers.
Important Safety Information
Trastuzumab carries important warnings for cardiac toxicity, including reduced left ventricular function and heart failure. It may also cause serious infusion-related or hypersensitivity reactions. The FDA label highlights clinically significant interactions and risks when used with other cardiotoxic therapies, including anthracyclines. Trastuzumab is not appropriate for cancers that do not show HER2 overexpression or amplification.
Possible Side Effects
Commonly reported adverse effects include fever, chills, nausea, diarrhoea, fatigue, headache and infusion reactions. More serious reactions can include cardiomyopathy, severe hypersensitivity, pulmonary toxicity and, in some settings, bone marrow suppression when used with combination chemotherapy.
Scientific Evidence
Clinical evidence supports trastuzumab as a standard HER2-directed therapy in appropriate patients. In HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer, review data cite the ToGA trial as establishing trastuzumab plus chemotherapy as a standard first-line approach, with subsequent reviews confirming its role while also noting resistance and tumour heterogeneity as ongoing limitations. In HER2-positive breast cancer, published reviews likewise describe trastuzumab as an established targeted therapy.
Medical Information Notice
This page is an educational summary based on sources available at the time of review and does not replace the official patient leaflet, prescribing information or assessment by a qualified healthcare professional.
Medical Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), HERCEPTIN (trastuzumab) Highlights of Prescribing Information
- Rama Rao Malla et al., “HER-2 positive gastric cancer: Current targeted treatments,” International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024, PubMed