Results of Breast-Cancer Drug Studies Stunning
Jessica Heslam
Boston Herald, US
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Calling the findings stunning and exciting, researchers say a drug already used for advanced cancer could help – and even cure – thousands of women with an aggressive form of early-stage breast cancer. The results of three studies published in today's New England Journal of Medicine found that the brand-name drug Herceptin cut the risk of breast cancer relapse in half among women with HER2-positive tumors.
About 6,500 women with early-stage breast cancer participated in the studies. The drug – which targets the diseased cells but spares the healthy ones – was used along with standard treatments, including surgery and chemotherapy. The studies show that ``we can dramatically reduce the risk of recurrence'' among women who have HER2-positive breast cancer, which accounts for about 15 percent to 20 percent of breast cancers, said Dr. Harold Burstein of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
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See New England Journal report
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``This is very exciting,'' said Burstein, who wrote a perspective piece accompanying the findings. ``It is going to help women live better and live longer and will help cure some women.'' Herceptin was approved by the government in 1998 to treat breast cancer that has already spread within the body, but early-stage breast cancer is much more common. Some cancer experts said the Herceptin findings are the biggest breast cancer breakthrough since tamoxifen, a drug used for years that also has a 50 percent reduction risk but treats estrogen-positive cancers.
Doctors have already begun to treat early-stage breast cancer patients with Herceptin, which is given intravenously. Mary LeConche, 48, who has early-stage breast cancer, underwent chemotherapy before she began taking Herceptin several months ago. Two weeks ago, she had her first mammogram after her lumpectomy and it was clear.
``I am very fortunate to be on the cutting edge of this,'' said LeConche, who lives in Connecticut and is being treated at Dana Farber. ``It's phenomenal, really. ''
Oct 20, 2005
Jessica Heslam
Boston Herald, US
______________
Calling the findings stunning and exciting, researchers say a drug already used for advanced cancer could help – and even cure – thousands of women with an aggressive form of early-stage breast cancer. The results of three studies published in today's New England Journal of Medicine found that the brand-name drug Herceptin cut the risk of breast cancer relapse in half among women with HER2-positive tumors.
About 6,500 women with early-stage breast cancer participated in the studies. The drug – which targets the diseased cells but spares the healthy ones – was used along with standard treatments, including surgery and chemotherapy. The studies show that ``we can dramatically reduce the risk of recurrence'' among women who have HER2-positive breast cancer, which accounts for about 15 percent to 20 percent of breast cancers, said Dr. Harold Burstein of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
______________________
See New England Journal report
______________________
``This is very exciting,'' said Burstein, who wrote a perspective piece accompanying the findings. ``It is going to help women live better and live longer and will help cure some women.'' Herceptin was approved by the government in 1998 to treat breast cancer that has already spread within the body, but early-stage breast cancer is much more common. Some cancer experts said the Herceptin findings are the biggest breast cancer breakthrough since tamoxifen, a drug used for years that also has a 50 percent reduction risk but treats estrogen-positive cancers.
Doctors have already begun to treat early-stage breast cancer patients with Herceptin, which is given intravenously. Mary LeConche, 48, who has early-stage breast cancer, underwent chemotherapy before she began taking Herceptin several months ago. Two weeks ago, she had her first mammogram after her lumpectomy and it was clear.
``I am very fortunate to be on the cutting edge of this,'' said LeConche, who lives in Connecticut and is being treated at Dana Farber. ``It's phenomenal, really. ''
Oct 20, 2005
