anthracycline + paclitaxel + trastuzumab

This is a combination chemotherapy and targeted therapy regimen used primarily for the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. It consists of: - An anthracycline (commonly doxorubicin or epirubicin), which is a cytotoxic antibiotic that intercalates DNA and inhibits topoisomerase II, leading to DNA damage and apoptosis in rapidly dividing cells. - Paclitaxel, a taxane-class small molecule that stabilizes microtubules, preventing cell division. - Trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), blocking downstream signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation and survival. This combination exploits synergistic effects between cytotoxic agents (anthracyclines and paclitaxel) and targeted inhibition of HER2 by trastuzumab. The regimen is commonly used as adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy for early-stage or advanced HER2-positive breast cancer. However, concurrent use of anthracyclines with trastuzumab increases the risk of cardiotoxicity; therefore, sequential administration is often preferred[5][6][7].