It could be time to consider adjuvant therapy

Based on your answers, here is information on some treatment options for when cancer cells remain after treatment and surgery.

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Below are some starter questions to begin a conversation with your doctor or care team:

  • What can I expect during treatment?
  • How does targeted treatment differ from chemotherapy?
  • How long will I be on treatment?
  • What are some of the side effects I could experience during treatment?
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After surgery, HER2-targeted treatment may be recommended to help kill remaining cancer cells

If you have residual disease, your doctor may recommend:

People with HER2+ early breast cancer who had treatment before surgery (including a taxane and trastuzumab) and there is cancer remaining in the tissue removed during surgery.

KADCYLA is used after surgery and is given as intravenous (IV) infusion for 30-90 minutes.*

*This does not account for observation time and other aspects of treatment. Actual clinic time may vary.

What are the most serious side effects of KADCYLA?

  • KADCYLA can cause severe liver problems. 
  • KACYLA may cause heart problems, including those without symptoms (such as reduced heart function) and those with symptoms (such as congestive heart failure).
  • Receiving KADCYLA during pregnancy can result in the death of an unborn baby and birth defects.

For additional Important Safety Information, including most serious side effects, click here.

A study compared KADCYLA to Herceptin

Who was in the study?

1,486 people with certain types of HER2+ early breast cancer who:

  • Received neoadjuvant treatment including a taxane and trastuzumab (Herceptin)
  • Had surgery
  • Had residual disease after surgery and treatment

What was the goal of the study?

To find out which adjuvant treatment, KADCYLA or Herceptin, was better at keeping people cancer-free.

What were the results?

KADCYLA significantly lowered the chance of cancer coming back compared to Herceptin, according to a comparison study.

88% of people who received KADCYLA after surgery were still cancer-free 3 years after the study was started.

77% of people who received Herceptin were still cancer-free 3 years after the study was started.

The chance of cancer coming back was lowered by 50% for people who received KADCYLA compared to people who received Herceptin.

At the time of this data review, it was too early in the study to determine if people lived longer with KADCYLA. However, people in the study will continue to be followed and evaluated.

What are the most serious side effects of KADCYLA?

  • KADCYLA can cause severe liver problems that can be life-threatening.
  • KADCYLA may cause heart problems, including those without symptoms (such as reduced heart function) and those with symptoms (such as congestive heart failure).
  • Receiving KADCYLA during pregnancy can result in the death of an unborn baby and birth defects.

What are other possible serious side effects of KADCYLA?

  • Lung problems
  • Infusion-related reactions
  • Serious bleeding
  • Low platelet count
  • Nerve damage
  • Skin reactions at the infusion site

See additional Important Safety Information below.

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Dosing schedule for KADCYLA

The dosing schedule is organized by cycle. Each cycle is 3 weeks long.

KADCYLA treatment is 14 cycles in total (42 weeks) unless the cancer comes back sooner or side effects require the treatment to stop.

Keep in mind that this site is for educational purposes only and that the options here are just some of the treatments you may be eligible for. Your primary sources of information should always be your doctor and the professionals who make up your care team. Only they can give you medical advice about your disease and treatment.

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Important Safety Information & Uses

Who is KADCYLA for?

Early Breast Cancer

KADCYLA is a prescription medicine used as an adjuvant (after surgery) treatment for HER2-positive early breast cancer when the patient has taken neoadjuvant (before surgery) treatment including a taxane and trastuzumab (Herceptin®) and there is cancer remaining in the tissue removed during surgery.

Patients are selected for therapy based on an FDA-approved test for KADCYLA.

What is the most Important Safety Information I should know about KADCYLA?

Liver problems

  • KADCYLA may cause severe liver problems that can be life-threatening. Symptoms of liver problems may include vomiting, nausea, eating disorder (anorexia), yellowing of the skin (jaundice), stomach pain, dark urine, or itching

Heart problems

  • KADCYLA may cause heart problems, including those without symptoms (such as reduced heart function) and those with symptoms (such as congestive heart failure). Symptoms may include swelling of the ankles or legs, shortness of breath, cough, rapid weight gain of more than 5 pounds in 24 hours, dizziness or loss of consciousness, or irregular heartbeat

Pregnancy

  • Receiving KADCYLA during pregnancy can result in the death of an unborn baby and birth defects. Birth control should be used while you receive KADCYLA and for 7 months after your last dose of KADCYLA
  • If you think you may be pregnant, you should contact your healthcare provider immediately
  • If you are exposed to KADCYLA during pregnancy or if you become pregnant within 7 months following your last dose of KADCYLA, you are encouraged to report KADCYLA exposure to Genentech by calling 1-888-835-2555
  • If you are a male patient with a female partner that could become pregnant, birth control should be used during treatment and for 4 months following your last dose of KADCYLA
  • You should not breastfeed during treatment and for 7 months after the last dose of KADCYLA

Contact your doctor right away if you experience symptoms associated with these side effects.

What are the additional possible serious side effects of KADCYLA?

Lung problems

  • KADCYLA may cause lung problems, including inflammation of the lung tissue, which can be life-threatening. Signs of lung problems may include trouble breathing, cough, tiredness, and fluid in the lungs

Infusion-related reactions

  • Symptoms of an infusion-related reaction may include one or more of the following: the skin getting hot or red (flushing), chills, fever, trouble breathing, low blood pressure, wheezing, tightening of the muscles in the chest around the airways, or a fast heartbeat. Your doctor will monitor you for infusion-related reactions

Serious bleeding

  • KADCYLA can cause life-threatening bleeding. Taking KADCYLA with other medications used to thin your blood (antiplatelet) or prevent blood clots (anticoagulation) can increase your risk of bleeding. Your doctor should provide additional monitoring if you are taking one of these other drugs while on KADCYLA. Even when blood thinners are not also being taken, life-threatening bleeding may occur with KADCYLA

Low platelet count

  • Low platelet count may happen during treatment with KADCYLA. Platelets help your blood to clot. Signs of low platelets may include easy bruising, bleeding, and prolonged bleeding from cuts. In mild cases there may not be any symptoms

Nerve damage

  • Symptoms may include numbness and tingling, burning or sharp pain, sensitivity to touch, lack of coordination, muscle weakness, or loss of muscle function. Your doctor will monitor you for symptoms of nerve damage

Skin reactions around the infusion site

  • KADCYLA may leak from the vein or needle and cause reactions such as redness, tenderness, skin irritation, or pain or swelling at the infusion site. If this happens, it is more likely to happen within 24 hours of the infusion

What are the most common side effects of KADCYLA?

The most common side effects in people taking KADCYLA for early breast cancer are:

  • Tiredness
  • Nausea
  • Liver problems
  • Pain that affects the bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons
  • Bleeding
  • Low platelet count
  • Headache
  • Weakness, numbness, and pain in the hands and feet
  • Joint pain

You are encouraged to report side effects to Genentech and the FDA. You may contact Genentech by calling 1-888-835-2555. You may contact the FDA by visiting www.fda.gov/medwatch or calling 1-800-FDA-1088.

Talk to a healthcare professional for more information about the benefits and risks of KADCYLA.

Please see full Prescribing Information for additional Important Safety Information, including most serious side effects.

If you cannot afford your medication, visit genentech-access.com/patient for financial assistance information.

  • Adjuvant treatment

    The treatment that is given after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells and lower your risk of the cancer returning. The goal of adjuvant treatment is to keep you cancer-free for as long as possible.

  • Chemotherapy

    A type of medication that kills cells that grow and divide rapidly, including cancer cells and normal cells.

  • Cycle

    A cycle is a course of treatment that is repeated on a regular schedule with periods of rest in between.

  • HER2 status

    HER2 stands for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. HER2 is a type of protein found on the surface of cells in everyone that tells the cells to grow and divide. When breast cancer cells have too many HER2 receptors, they are called HER2-positive (HER2+).

  • Inflammatory

    When the breast is swollen, red, or inflamed as a result of the cancer cells blocking lymph vessels.

  • Infusion

    A method of putting fluids, including drugs, into the bloodstream. Also called intravenous infusion.

  • Lymph nodes

    Small, bean-shaped organs found throughout the body that store white blood cells and help remove cell waste, germs, and other harmful substances from the body.

  • Node positive

    This means your doctor has detected cancer cells in one or more of your lymph nodes.

  • Nodal status

    Cancer cells can sometimes appear in nearby structures known as "lymph nodes." When cancer cells appear in one or more lymph nodes, the cancer is said to be "node-positive" (node+).

  • Neoadjuvant treatment

    Treatment given before surgery to help reduce or get rid of cancer cells before surgery.

  • Pathologic complete response (pCR)

    A pCR means that no cancer cells were found in the tissue removed during surgery. A pCR is not the same as a cure.

  • Port

    A surgically implanted disc through which blood can be taken and medication can be given without repeated needle sticks

  • Residual disease

    If cancer cells are found in the tissue removed during surgery, it is known as residual disease.

  • Targeted therapies

    Designed to target specific characteristics of cancer cells. Targeted treatments may also affect normal cells

  • Tumor size

    The size of the tumor is how large it is at its widest point.

  • Hormone receptor status

    Two hormones naturally made by the body are called estrogen and progesterone. These hormones attach to hormone receptors on cells. Some tumors have hormone receptors—they can have estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, or both. This is called “hormone receptor-positive” breast cancer. “Hormone receptor-negative” breast cancer is when the cancer cells do not have hormone receptors.

  • Hyaluronidase

    Hyaluronidase is a protein naturally found in most tissues of the body and helps enhance the way the body absorbs medicines injected under the skin. When PHESGO is injected, the hyaluronidase makes the tissue under the skin more absorbent temporarily so that it’s able to receive the medication.

  • Locally advanced

    Cancer that has spread from where it started to nearby tissue or lymph nodes.

  • Early-stage breast cancer

    Breast cancer that has not spread beyond the breast or the axillary lymph nodes.

  • HER2-targeted therapies

    A type of targeted cancer treatment that binds to HER2 receptors to fight cancer cells that have too many HER2 receptors.

  • Surgery

    The medical practice of treating injuries or disease by cutting into the body to physically remove tissue.