Metastatic breast cancer is breast cancer that has spread from where it started to another part of your body.
The goal of treatments for metastatic breast cancer is to stop cancer from spreading further and help maintain quality of life, with acceptable side effects.
If your healthcare provider refers to your breast cancer as hormone receptor-positive (HR+), this means the cancer cells have a high number of hormone (estrogen or progesterone) receptors. Cancer cells with more hormone receptors make copies of themselves more often, making the tumor grow.
Breast cancers are also categorized by a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). If your breast cancer is HER2-negative (HER2−), it means the cancer cells don’t have many HER2 receptors.
Around 40% of people with HR+/HER2− breast cancer have one or more mutations in the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) gene. These mutations lead to an altered protein that can cause cancer cells to grow and spread.
Get tested.
Ask your healthcare provider about testing your mBC for mutations in the PIK3CA gene
What to expect, where to find support, and more
Receive one-on-one information sessions about Itovebi at no cost*
*Nurse Educators are representatives of Genentech and do not give medical advice. Please contact your healthcare provider if you experience side effects or need medical advice. A Nurse Educator can help with additional support and tips.
PI3K
A type of protein that transmits signals in cells and is involved in cell growth
Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA)
A gene that helps make the PI3K protein. Mutations in the PIK3CA gene may cause PI3K to become overactive, which may make cancer cells grow
The link you have selected will take you away from this site to one that is not owned or controlled by Genentech, Inc. Genentech, Inc. makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information contained on sites we do not own or control. Genentech does not recommend and does not endorse the content on any third-party websites. Your use of third-party websites is at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of use for such sites.