What is Perjeta (pertuzumab) for?
Perjeta (pertuzumab) is indicated for the treatment of HER2 positive breast cancer in patients with metastatic cancer or as neoadjuvant treatment for patients with locally advanced, inflammatory, or early stage breast cancer as part of a complete treatment regimen for early breast cancer1,2,3.
How does Perjeta (pertuzumab) work?
Perjeta (pertuzumab) is used in combination with trastuzumab and docetaxel (other cancer medicines) for the treatment of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who have not received prior anti-HER2 therapy or chemotherapy for metastatic disease1,2,3.
It is also used in combination with trastuzumab and chemotherapy as neoadjuvant treatment for patients with HER2-positive, locally advanced, inflammatory, or early-stage breast cancer as part of a complete treatment regimen for early breast cancer1,2,3.
Is Perjeta (pertuzumab) approved?
Perjeta (pertuzumab) was approved for HER2 positive breast cancer in metastatic patients or as neoadjuvant therapy by:
FDA (USA) on June 12, 20125
EMA (EU) on March 4, 20132
TGA (AUS) on May 6, 20133
How do I take Perjeta (pertuzumab)?
The standard dosage is:
Initial dose: 840 mg administered as a 60-minute intravenous infusion
Following infusions: 420 mg administered as a 30 to 60-minute intravenous infusion every 3 weeks.
Patients with metastatic breast cancer should be treated with pertuzumab and trastuzumab until disease progression or unmanageable toxicity.
Patients in neoadjuvant treatment of breast cancer should be administered pertuzumab every 3 weeks for 3 to 6 cycles before surgery.
Complete information about Perjeta (pertuzumab) dosage and administration can be found in the resources section5,2,3.
Note: Consult your treating doctor for personalised dosing.
Common side effects of Perjeta (pertuzumab)
The most common side effects with Perjeta given with trastuzumab and chemotherapy are4:
diarrhoea
alopecia (hair loss)
nausea
neutropenia (low levels of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell important for fighting infections).
Serious side effects of Perjeta (pertuzumab)
The most common serious side effects include4:
febrile neutropenia (low levels of neutrophils with fever)
serious diarrhoea
leucopenia (low white blood cell counts)
neutropenia.
