Trastuzumab (Herceptin) is approved for treating breast cancers that produce high levels of a protein called HER2. It is typically given intravenously. However, when the cancer spreads to the brain or spinal cord, trastuzumab is unable to pass through the blood-brain barrier to kill cancer cells.
In this study, researching are determining the highest level of trastuzumab that can be delivered directly into the spinal fluid in women whose HER2-positive breast cancer spread to that area (what is called “leptomeningeal disease”).
To be eligible for this study, patients must meet several criteria, including but not limited to the following: