This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-35775314
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Tumours shrunk 'dramatically' in 11 days | Tumours shrunk 'dramatically' in 11 days |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A pair of drugs can dramatically shrink and eliminate some breast cancers in just 11 days, UK doctors have shown. | A pair of drugs can dramatically shrink and eliminate some breast cancers in just 11 days, UK doctors have shown. |
| They said the "surprise" findings, reported at the European Breast Cancer Conference, could mean some women no longer need chemotherapy. | They said the "surprise" findings, reported at the European Breast Cancer Conference, could mean some women no longer need chemotherapy. |
| The drugs, tested on 257 women, target a specific weakness found in one-in-ten breast cancers. | The drugs, tested on 257 women, target a specific weakness found in one-in-ten breast cancers. |
| Experts said the findings were a "stepping stone" to tailored cancer care. | Experts said the findings were a "stepping stone" to tailored cancer care. |
| The doctors leading the trial had not expected or even intended to achieve such striking results. | The doctors leading the trial had not expected or even intended to achieve such striking results. |
| They were investigating how drugs changed cancers in the short window between a tumour being diagnosed and the operation to remove it. | They were investigating how drugs changed cancers in the short window between a tumour being diagnosed and the operation to remove it. |
| But by the time surgeons came to operate, there was no sign of cancer in some patients. | But by the time surgeons came to operate, there was no sign of cancer in some patients. |
| Prof Judith Bliss, from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, said the impact was "dramatic". | Prof Judith Bliss, from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, said the impact was "dramatic". |
| She told the BBC News website: "We were particularly surprised by these findings as this was a short-term trial. | She told the BBC News website: "We were particularly surprised by these findings as this was a short-term trial. |
| "It became apparent some had a complete response. It's absolutely intriguing, it is so fast." | "It became apparent some had a complete response. It's absolutely intriguing, it is so fast." |
| The drugs were lapatinib and trastuzumab, which is more widely known as Herceptin. | The drugs were lapatinib and trastuzumab, which is more widely known as Herceptin. |
| They both target HER2 - a protein that fuels the growth of some women's breast cancers. | They both target HER2 - a protein that fuels the growth of some women's breast cancers. |
| Herceptin works on the surface of cancerous cells while lapatinib is able to penetrate inside the cell to disable HER2. | Herceptin works on the surface of cancerous cells while lapatinib is able to penetrate inside the cell to disable HER2. |
| The study, which also took place at NHS hospitals in Manchester, gave the treatment to women with tumours measuring between 1 and 3cm. | The study, which also took place at NHS hospitals in Manchester, gave the treatment to women with tumours measuring between 1 and 3cm. |
| In less than two weeks of treatment, the cancer disappeared entirely in 11% of cases, and in a further 17% they were smaller than 5mm. | In less than two weeks of treatment, the cancer disappeared entirely in 11% of cases, and in a further 17% they were smaller than 5mm. |
| Current therapy for HER2 positive breast cancers is surgery, followed by chemotherapy and Herceptin. | Current therapy for HER2 positive breast cancers is surgery, followed by chemotherapy and Herceptin. |
| But Prof Bliss believes the findings could eventually mean some women do not need chemotherapy. | But Prof Bliss believes the findings could eventually mean some women do not need chemotherapy. |
| However, that will require larger studies especially as HER2 positive cancers have a higher risk of coming back. | However, that will require larger studies especially as HER2 positive cancers have a higher risk of coming back. |
| "We would have to be very clear we're not taking a backwards step and increasing the risk of relapse," Prof Bliss added. | "We would have to be very clear we're not taking a backwards step and increasing the risk of relapse," Prof Bliss added. |
| Baroness Delyth Morgan, the chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said: "We hope this particularly impressive combination trial will serve as a stepping stone to an era of more personalised treatment for HER2 positive breast cancer. | Baroness Delyth Morgan, the chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said: "We hope this particularly impressive combination trial will serve as a stepping stone to an era of more personalised treatment for HER2 positive breast cancer. |
| "Such a rapid response to treatment could soon give doctors the unprecedented ability to identify women responding so well that they would not need gruelling chemotherapy." | "Such a rapid response to treatment could soon give doctors the unprecedented ability to identify women responding so well that they would not need gruelling chemotherapy." |
| Breast cancer is now thought of as at least ten separate diseases, each with a different cause, life expectancy and needing a different treatment. | Breast cancer is now thought of as at least ten separate diseases, each with a different cause, life expectancy and needing a different treatment. |
| Matching the specific errors in a tumour to targeted drugs is considered the future of cancer medicine. | Matching the specific errors in a tumour to targeted drugs is considered the future of cancer medicine. |
| Breast cancers, and particularly HER2 positive tumours, are at the forefront of this revolution in treatment. | Breast cancers, and particularly HER2 positive tumours, are at the forefront of this revolution in treatment. |
| Prof Arnie Purushotham, from Cancer Research UK which funded the study, said: "These results are very promising if they stand up in the long run, and could be the starting step of finding a new way to treat HER2 positive breast cancers." | |
| Follow James on Twitter. | Follow James on Twitter. |