Breakthrough breast cancer
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Good news in regards to the fight against breast cancer . Combination therapy with biologic drugs before surgery achieves the removal of the tumor in half of cases .
This is the result of an investigation called Neo-ALTTO that has been developed in 130 centers in 26 countries and a population of 455 patients.
Women elected to develop this study were the bearers of a tumor positive ErbB2/HER2 , one of the most aggressive and worse prognosis and therefore at higher risk of mortality or relapse. This tumor affects 25% of patients with breast cancer and almost half of women younger than 40.
This therapy combines two drugs lapatinib and trastuzumab , both directed against the tumor’s molecular characteristics, although their combined use does not preclude subsequent surgery, it halved the treatment with chemotherapy (24 to 12 weeks), something significantly reducing its toxic effects.
In addition, patients who achieved tumor completely overcome their prognosis is “excellent” , according to the researchers explained, also hope to use it for other types of malignant tumors.
According to the study, 90% of patients responded to treatment , and that 50% of cases where the tumor is not removed, it has been reduced. In addition, patients who initially required a major intervention after treatment may undergo less aggressive surgery.
Neo-ALTTO has also allowed the collection of tumor tissue before and after treatment will help to obtain an assessment of proteins and genes expressed in the tumor, known as bio-markers that may help predict the one hand, the response to treatment and, secondly, the prognosis of the disease.
