Shanghai Researchers Announce Groundbreaking Treatment for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Brain Metastases
Researchers from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center have unveiled a new treatment method that significantly improves outcomes for HER2-positive breast cancer patients suffering from brain metastases. The innovative approach involves local radiotherapy combined with Pyrotinib tablets, a small molecule drug developed by Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co Ltd, and an orally-taken chemotherapy medicine.
The announcement was made on January 12, following a single-center, phase II clinical study led by Professors Guo Xiaomao, Yu Xiaoli, and Yang Zhaozhi from the Radiation Oncology Center. The research findings, detailed in a paper released on the website of JAMA Oncology on January 4, is expected to benefit breast cancer patients in China.
Breast cancer, a prevalent health concern for Chinese women, is reported to have an annual incidence of approximately 43 cases per 100,000. Among these, HER2-positive cases constitute 20 to 30%, and up to half of HER2-positive patients face the risk of brain metastases.
The standard treatment protocols for intracranial metastases involve surgery and local radiation therapy. However, nearly half of these patients experience primary or new intracranial distant metastases within a year after treatment, posing a serious threat to their long-term survival.
Researchers explored new therapies to control the disease for a longer period after standardized treatment and prevent it from worsening.
In a two-year trial involving 40 participants, the researchers achieved a progression-free survival rate within one year of an impressive 74.9%, surpassing their expectations. The median survival time of the enrolled patients was 17.6 months, significantly extending the survival of such patients by six months compared with the current treatment regime widely used clinically.
This breakthrough study is said to offer a glimmer of hope for those battling HER2-positive breast cancer with brain metastases, and represents a major step forward in the fight against this challenging aspect of the disease.
Sources:
Chinadaily / Jama Oncology
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