Pill Targets Lethal Breast Cancer
Tykerb Shows Promise for Treatment of Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Oct. 3, 2006 (Istanbul, Turkey) -- An experimental pill shows promise for women with a rare and lethal form of breast cancer who cannot be helped by other treatments, a new study shows.
Reporting at the annual meeting of the European Society for Medical Oncology here, researchers say the drug, Tykerb, helps women with relapsing inflammatory breastcancer.
"Inflammatory breast cancer is an especially aggressive and rapidly progressing form of breast cancer that is characterized by redness of the breast, pain, and swelling," says researcher Bella Kaufman, MD, of Chaim Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel.
"It may be the most lethal form of breast cancer and there are few treatment options," she tells WebMD. "More than one-third of women have metastatic disease (cancer that has spread to other parts of the body) at the time of diagnosis, and only 40% of women are still alive three years later."
About 1% to 3% of women in the U.S. develop the condition, although rates are higher among African-Americans -- about 10%. More than one-third of women are younger than 50 at the time of diagnosis. It can often occur without a distinct breast lump.
Developed by GlaxoSmithKline, the new pill is one of the newer drugs that target tumors' genetic roots. GlaxoSmithKline is a WebMD sponsor.
These so-called targeted therapies -- smart bombs that take aim at the nuts and bolts of tumor growth while leaving healthy tissue relatively unscathed -- usually have the advantage of not only being more effective than traditional chemotherapy, but also having fewer side effects, says Alan Coates, MD, a clinical professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney in Australia, who was not involved with the research.
Specifically, Tykerb zeroes in on two related proteins -- HER2 and EGFR -- that sit on the surface of inflammatory breast cancer cells and play a critical role in the growth and spread of cancer.
In excess, both HER2 and EGFR are some of the really bad guys, instigating cancer spread. They have a direct effect on cancer cells, stimulating the cells to proliferate, migrate, and metastasize. Tykerb attaches to the proteins, thereby blocking their action, and slowing or stopping the growth of tumor cells.
Pill Targets Lethal Breast Cancer
Tykerb Shows Promise for Treatment of Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Oct. 3, 2006 (Istanbul, Turkey) -- An experimental pill shows promise for women with a rare and lethal form of breast cancer who cannot be helped by other treatments, a new study shows.
Reporting at the annual meeting of the European Society for Medical Oncology here, researchers say the drug, Tykerb, helps women with relapsing inflammatory breastcancer.
"Inflammatory breast cancer is an especially aggressive and rapidly progressing form of breast cancer that is characterized by redness of the breast, pain, and swelling," says researcher Bella Kaufman, MD, of Chaim Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel.
"It may be the most lethal form of breast cancer and there are few treatment options," she tells WebMD. "More than one-third of women have metastatic disease (cancer that has spread to other parts of the body) at the time of diagnosis, and only 40% of women are still alive three years later."
About 1% to 3% of women in the U.S. develop the condition, although rates are higher among African-Americans -- about 10%. More than one-third of women are younger than 50 at the time of diagnosis. It can often occur without a distinct breast lump.
A Targeted Therapy
Developed by GlaxoSmithKline, the new pill is one of the newer drugs that target tumors' genetic roots. GlaxoSmithKline is a WebMD sponsor.
These so-called targeted therapies -- smart bombs that take aim at the nuts and bolts of tumor growth while leaving healthy tissue relatively unscathed -- usually have the advantage of not only being more effective than traditional chemotherapy, but also having fewer side effects, says Alan Coates, MD, a clinical professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney in Australia, who was not involved with the research.
Specifically, Tykerb zeroes in on two related proteins -- HER2 and EGFR -- that sit on the surface of inflammatory breast cancer cells and play a critical role in the growth and spread of cancer.
In excess, both HER2 and EGFR are some of the really bad guys, instigating cancer spread. They have a direct effect on cancer cells, stimulating the cells to proliferate, migrate, and metastasize. Tykerb attaches to the proteins, thereby blocking their action, and slowing or stopping the growth of tumor cells.