Oncology

›Oncology

Adding Perjeta to the Treatment of HER2-Positive Tumors Prior to Surgery

perjetaPertuzumab (Perjeta) became the first drug to ever be approved by the FDA for use prior to surgery for non-metastatic breast cancer on September 30, 2013. This development further signals a paradigm shift away from chemotherapy and towards targeted therapy – specifically in the now increasingly target-rich environment of HER2-positive breast cancer.

What is Perjeta?

Pertuzumab is a monoclonal antibody, which works by preventing a molecular interaction between the HER2 receptor and other related receptors on the breast cancer cell’s surface. We’ve known about the effectiveness of pertuzumab based on a prior trial with over 800 patients (CLEOPATRA).

What is HER2 positive <a href=[…]

By | November 13, 2013|Categories: Oncology|Tags: |0 Comments
Read More

How to Match Your Therapy to Your Type of Breast Cancer

So you’ve just been diagnosed with breast cancer. What does that really mean? It turns out that “breast cancer” is actually just a broad category that covers several different diseases, some of which are not that dangerous and others that are. Using new so-called “genomic” tests that analyze the different genetic mutations in breast cancers, doctors have developed a new classification system for the various types of breast cancer. Another name for this classification – which is different from the genetic tests you may have heard about — is molecular subtyping.

To learn more about the four types of breast cancer, you can go to this […]

By | September 5, 2013|Categories: Oncology|Tags: |2 Comments
Read More

San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2012 – Tamoxifen

  • Although there were many meaningful announcements from the first two days of this year’s San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium the release of a major study on adjuvant tamoxifen treatment was perhaps the most important.
  • The tamoxifen study, which gathered information from more than 6,800 women with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer, showed a significant reduction in the reoccurrence of breast cancer.
  • This could be a noteworthy step to augment our ability to improve breast cancer survivorship – roughly 75% of breast cancers are ER+.

Background on Tamoxifen

Although tamoxifen was originally discovered in the 1960’s the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) didn’t approve tamoxifen for the treatment […]

By | December 5, 2012|Categories: Cancer Research, Oncology|Tags: , |0 Comments
Read More
Load More Posts

Authors

Breastlink
John Link, M.D.
John West, M.D.
Nancy Link, R.D.N.
Nimmi Kapoor M.D.
Tchaiko Parris, M.D., Ph.D.

Disclaimer

All information provided by Breastlink on this blog is of a general nature and is not intended to be and cannot substitute medical treatment or personal advice. The information is intended only for general purposes. Many patients have different needs, reactions or forms of treatment. If you have questions regarding your own or a loved one’s treatment or care you must consult with your own physician or seek the guidance of a treating physician.

Join Our Mailing List