Breast cancer drug receives FDA approvalNovember 20, 2006A new use for the breast cancer drug Herceptin was approved by the FDA yesterday, a move that means more treatment options for the 25 percent of breast cancer patients with early-stage HER-2 positive breast cancer. Dr. Edward Romond, a cancer specialist and researcher at UK HealthCare's Markey Cancer Center, was instrumental in researching and analyzing the results of two massive clinical trials of early-stage breast cancer patients who received Herceptin in combination with chemotherapy. The results indicated a 52 percent decrease in the risk for breast cancer recurrence compared with patients who received the same chemotherapy without Herceptin. "In terms of a single leap forward, this is probably the most dramatic we've had in a long time," Romond said. The study revealed the use of Herceptin in early-stage HER-2 positive breast cancer was effective. Herceptin was previously only used in late-stage breast cancer or cancer that had spread to other sites. The effectiveness of this new treatment therapy offers hope to the 25 percent of breast cancer patients who have HER-2 positive breast cancer, which is an extremely aggressive and fast-spreading cancer. This study has changed the outcome from one of the most worrisome kinds of cancer to one that has a much better prognosis, Romond said. The NCI-sponsored national clinical trial featured more than 500 testing sites throughout the United States and Canada and included 3,351 women. Romond has since become the national spokesperson for this new use of Herceptin in treating early-stage HER-2 positive breast cancer. University of Kentucky |
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| Related Breast Cancer Current Events and Breast Cancer News Articles UCLA researchers create 'fly paper' to capture circulating cancer cells Just as fly paper captures insects, an innovative new device with nano-sized features developed by researchers at UCLA is able to grab cancer cells in the blood that have broken off from a tumor. Fertility procedures need not delay breast cancer treatment for younger women A new study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that breast cancer patients under 40 years old who undergo fertility preservation do not face a significant delay in the treatment of their disease when their care is coordinated in a timely fashion. Coffee break: Compound brewing new research in colon, breast cancer A compound in coffee has been found to be estrogenic in studies by Texas AgriLife Research scientists. Drugs to treat anemia in cancer patients linked to thromboembolism Medications frequently given to cancer patients to reduce their risk of anemia are associated with an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, according to new research led by Dawn Hershman, M.D, M.S., co-director of the breast cancer program at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. Discovery in worms by Queen's researchers points to more targeted cancer treatment Researchers at Queen's University have found a link between two genes involved in cancer formation in humans, by examining the genes in worms. The groundbreaking discovery provides a foundation for how tumor-forming genes interact, and may offer a drug target for cancer treatment. FDA approved leukemia drugs shows promise in ovarian cancer cells The drug Sprycel, approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia, significantly inhibited the growth and invasiveness of ovarian cancer cells and also promoted their death, a study by researchers with UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found. Carnegie Mellon researchers link health-care debate to risk of dying in US and Europe The current health care debate in the United States is complicated. Trade-offs between heath care expenditures, lifestyle choices and life expectancy have been suggested but seldom clearly demonstrated. Scientists uncover new key to the puzzle of hormone therapy and breast cancer The use of postmenopausal hormone therapy has decreased over time in the United States, which researchers suggest may play a key role in the declining rate of atypical ductal hyperplasia, a known risk factor for breast cancer. Breast density associated with increased risk of cancer recurrence A new study finds that women treated for breast cancer are at higher risk of cancer recurrence if they have dense breasts. Published in the December 15, 2009 issue of Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study's results indicate that breast cancer patients with dense breasts may benefit from additional therapies following surgery, such as radiation. Researcher: 'Optical biopsy' for breast cancer increasingly accurate But women may not have to endure the medical costs, stress and potential complications that accompany such invasive biopsies forever. A University of Florida biomedical engineering researcher is making progress on an "optical biopsy" that has the potential to determine whether growths are cancerous without ever puncturing the skin. More Breast Cancer Current Events and Breast Cancer News Articles |
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