Unfortunately, breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women and one in eight women in the US will suffer from it in their lifetime. When talking about breast cancer, it is pivotal to mention a recent study done by researchers in Amsterdam.
This groundbreaking clinical trial may have discovered a beneficial way to put an end to this damaging disease. Continue reading the article to learn more about the findings of the research.
Can Breast Cancer Be Destroyed once and for all?
The research was presented by Nigel Bundred, a professor, at the European Breast Cancer Conference in Amsterdam. During the research, the team evaluated the influence of two medications, i.e. Lapatinib and Herceptin. They are frequently incorporated in the treatment of breast cancer. However, in the research, they were combined together for the first time.
The research was funded by Cancer Research UK and the goal was to combine these meds and use them against a protein known as HER2. This protein influences the spreading and division of cancerous cells and it is more likely to return than other types of cancer. For the purpose of the research, there were 257 female participants with HER2 positive breast cancer included.
They were divided into distinct groups and took herceptin and lapatinib for 11 days after being diagnosed and before surgical procedure. The third group was the control group. It was later concluded that those who took a combination of the two meds experienced positive benefits. Namely, 7 out of the 66 women had no cancer cells within the 11 days and other 11 women had reduction in the size of their tumors during this period.
On the other hand, the control group, which was given only Herceptin, showed only 3 percent of reduction in the size of their tumor. Hence, the combination of the two drugs had a better impact on the reduction of the breast cancer as opposed to the drugs being used separately.
However, the issue currently is the fact that Herceptin is licensed only for usage alongside chemo, not as a separate medication. But, researchers hope that this discovery will help change this. Be that as it may, there is still a lot of additional information to be discovered, but this research is definitely a step towards finding a solution for one of the deadliest illnesses today.
Before heading out, do not forget to check out the video below and learn more about breast cancer statistics:
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