Breast Cancer Breakthrough: Thousands More Women May Benefit from Immunotherapy Drug
New research suggests that the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab, also known as Keytruda, could benefit thousands more women with breast cancer than previously thought. Currently, the drug is offered to those with triple-negative breast cancer, which accounts for about 15% of cases. However, findings from a global trial indicate that pembrolizumab could be effective when used more widely.
Pembrolizumab targets and blocks a specific protein on the surface of certain immune cells, enabling them to seek out and destroy cancerous cells. In the trial, the drug was tested on women with early-stage breast cancer that was at high risk of recurring or spreading further. The results showed that treating this common form of breast cancer with pembrolizumab, in addition to chemotherapy before and after surgery, could be effective regardless of the patient’s age or menopausal status.
The study, known as Keynote-756, involved 1,278 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), which refers to cancer that has started to spread out of the milk ducts and into the surrounding breast tissues. Patients were divided into two groups, with one receiving pembrolizumab and chemotherapy and the other receiving a placebo. The researchers measured the lack of cancer signs in tissue samples, also known as a pathological complete response (PCR) rate.
The results showed a “statistically significant increase” in the PCR rate among patients treated with pembrolizumab. Approximately 24.3% of patients had no cancer cells remaining in the breast or lymph nodes, compared to 15.6% of patients in the placebo group.
Despite these promising results, further research is needed to determine whether the eradication of cancer cells translates into improved survival rates and a lower likelihood of the cancer coming back. However, the potential of pembrolizumab in treating ER-positive HER2-negative breast cancer, the most common type of breast cancer, should not be overlooked.
Breast cancer remains a significant health concern, with over 1,000 people dying from the disease each month in the UK alone. Therefore, new and effective treatments are desperately needed. While pembrolizumab is currently used for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer, there is hope that it can be submitted for licensing by the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and assessed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to grant access to patients with ER-positive HER2-negative breast cancer as well.
In addition to the potential use of pembrolizumab, researchers at the European Breast Cancer Conference in Milan will also present a genetic test that can identify how patients with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer will respond to immunotherapy drugs. This advancement allows patients unlikely to respond to these drugs to be treated with alternative therapies, thus avoiding unnecessary side effects.
Looking ahead, these developments in breast cancer treatment have the potential to reshape the industry. With ongoing research and novel therapeutic approaches, we can hope for improved survival rates and a better quality of life for patients battling breast cancer. It is crucial that continued investment and support are provided for further studies and the development of more targeted and effective therapies.
As medical advancements continue to progress, it is essential for healthcare professionals, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to stay informed and adapt to these emerging trends. By embracing innovation and collaborating on research efforts, we can achieve significant strides in the fight against breast cancer and other devastating diseases.
In conclusion, the potential expansion of pembrolizumab as a treatment option for breast cancer holds great promise for the thousands of women affected by the disease. As research continues and genetic testing methods become more sophisticated, personalized and targeted treatment options will likely become more prevalent. By leveraging these advancements and investing in further research, we can make significant strides towards reducing the impact of breast cancer on individuals, families, and society as a whole.
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– The Guardian. (Mar 19, 2024).