New medicines against breast cancer will be distributed in the SUS

New medicines against breast cancer will be distributed in the SUS


The drug, described as cutting-edge, works in the treatment of HER2-positive tumors, the most aggressive subtype of the disease.

This Monday (13th), in the middle of Pink Octoberarrived at Brazil the first batch of Trastuzumab emtansine. The medicine, which will soon be available in Unified Health System (SUS)works in the treatment of breast cancer HER2-positiveconsidered the most aggressive.




“The new therapy represents an advance in treatment, expanding intervention options in SUS and offering better prospects for disease control and quality of life”specifies the Ministry of Health (MS)in a statement.

Find out more about the drug

According to the agency, the shipment, which arrived at Guarulhos International Airport (SP), contains 11,978 units, 6,206 of 100 mg and 5,772 of 160 mg. In the coming months, however, another four batches are expected to be sent to the country. Deliveries are expected to take place in December 2025, March and June 2026.

In the statement, the Ministry of Health also reported that the medicine, described as cutting-edge, will meet 100% of the current demand in the SUS. In this way, more than a thousand patients will be able to benefit this year.

The recommendation is that it treat women who continue to have the disease even after initial chemotherapy, which occurs in cases of HER2-positive stage III breast cancer. This is because the treatment acts directly on tumor cells that express this protein, preventing damage to healthy tissue.

“This is a giant step forward for national oncology, with the first clinical protocol aimed at this treatment. It is a drug long awaited by our population. It could reduce the mortality of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer by up to 50%. It is a great victory for public health and for the Brazilian people,” said the director of Department of Cancer Treatment of the Ministry of Health, José Barreto.

Complementary measures against breast cancer

The next step, then, will be to send the medicine to state health departments, which will be in charge of distributing it to treatment units. Additionally, in October, states and municipalities will be able to acquire and transmit cyclin inhibitors (abemaciclib, palbociclib and ribociclib). These drugs are used to treat advanced cancers.

Earlier this month, with the aim of containing the spread of breast cancer, the Ministry of Health also expanded the age range for mammograms in SUS. Now women over 40, even without symptoms of the disease, will be able to periodically undergo the exam.

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Source: Terra

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