Researchers Discover New Drug to Slow the Spread of Breast Cancer

Researchers and scientists recently announced the discovery of a drug that slows the growth of breast cancer in women who no longer respond to proven treatments.  This is good news for those women who are in the advance stages of breast cancer and treatments are no longer working for them. 

The drug was developed for women who have aggressive tumors that make it impractical to treat with radiation.  The new drug is Tykerb, and it appears to delay tumor growth, and prevents cancer from spreading to the brain.  Test results show that it is giving an extra eight and a half months of delayed tumor growth.  This is twice the time given by drugs used currently.  The added benefit of protecting the brain from cancer makes it a great discovery.  Scientists believe the new drug passes through blood vessels that other drugs with larger molecules can’t pass through.  Brain cancer is often found as the secondary site of advanced breast cancer.  When a brain tumor is found, doctors look at the breasts to see if that is where the cancer originated.

Tykerb is being partnered with another chemotherapy treatment and were so successful in clinical trials; the maker of the drug stopped the trials.  They gave the drug to all patients who had breast cancer and report they expect those taking the medication will live longer. 

Testing showed only 14 percent of the patients had to stop the drug because of side effects.

GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of the drug paid for the studies and is working to make the drug free to patients with breast cancer.  It will ask for Food and Drug Administration approval before the end of the year.  For some women with breast cancer, this may be the answer to prayer.  It appears able to buy them more time by slowing the progress of the disease. 

One patient reports she has been stable since the drug was added to her existing chemotherapy routine.  She continues to work as a lawyer, wife, mother, and volunteer.  She does experience some side effects from the chemotherapy.  Her hands look much older than the rest of her body, and they shake too hard to button her buttons at times.  She did report that she hasn’t had any hair loss and people are not able to tell she is sick and on chemotherapy.

The impressive results shown by Tykerb give hopes to thousands of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer.  Important strides are being made every year in detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer.  There is new hope for the recently diagnosed, and renewed hope for those who are already battling the disease. 

You can help support research for breast cancer by taking part in your local Race for the Cure and by giving to breast cancer research.  Show your support by wearing pink ribbons as a reminder that scientists are still looking for a cure for breast cancer.  You may save a loved one’s life.