Research News on Targeted Therapies
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Malignant Stem Cells Seem to Make HER2-Positive Cancers Grow
HER2-positive breast cancers seem to have a large number of abnormal stem cells, which make the cancers grow and spread.
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Scientists Discover Compound That Blocks Breast Cancer Growth Signals
Researchers have discovered a substance called TPBM that blocks the gene signals that tell an estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cell to grow once estrogen binds to the receptors. TPBM blocks those signals even in ER-positive cancer cells resistant to tamoxifen.
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Adding Tykerb to Herceptin Helps if Metastatic Breast Cancer Grows
Women diagnosed with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer that either came back or progressed while getting Herceptin (chemical name: tastuzumab) benefited from adding Tykerb (chemical name: lapatanib) to the treatment plan instead of switching from Herceptin to Tykerb.
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Avastin Seems to Offer Benefits in Treating Metastatic Breast Cancer
Women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer who got Avastin plus Taxotere were less likely to have the cancer progress compared to women who only got Taxotere. Cancers treated with Avastin also were more likely to shrink.
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Experimental Vaccine May Help Treat HER2-Positive Cancers
An experimental vaccine seems promising as a way to treat HER2-positive breast cancers in the future.
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Herceptin with Dose-Dense Chemo Reduces Risk of Heart Problems
A small study has found that when Herceptin (chemical name: trastuzumab) was given in combination with dose-dense chemotherapy, the risk of heart problems from Herceptin was lower than when Herceptin was given with a routine schedule of chemotherapy.
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New Study Compares Tykerb and Herceptin
A new clinical trial will try to find out whether using Herceptin (chemical name: trastuzumab) alone, Tykerb (chemical name: lapatinib) alone, or both medicines together is better for women diagnosed with stage I or stage II HER2-positive breast cancer.
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Avastin Approved to Treat Breast Cancer
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Avastin (chemical name: bevacizumab) to treat metastatic breast cancer.
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Avastin Doesn’t Affect Overall Survival
Avastin combined with Taxol lengthens the time until advanced breast cancer progresses, but doesn't improve overall survival.
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Tykerb and Xeloda Effective on Breast Cancer in Brain
A small study shows that Tykerb (chemical name: lapatinib) combined with Xeloda (chemical name: capecitabine) can stop the growth of HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread to the brain.
