‘Landmark moment’ in advanced breast cancer treatment could save thousands of lives each year
Breast cancer patients will have “precious extra time with their loved ones” after a landmark breakthrough in treatment that could prolong lives.
Scientists hailed the moment as a “major success story for UK science” which could help around 8,000 women in Britain every year.
A targeted drug for those with advanced forms of the disease has reduced tumours as well as doubling the length of time patients have before their disease develops.
A phase III clinical trial of capivasertib alongside hormone therapy suggests the combination could become the new treatment for patients with advanced forms of the most common type of breast cancer.
The findings, presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium on Thursday, are relevant for around seven in ten of all new breast cancer cases.
Dr Kotryna Temcinaite, of Breast Cancer Now, a leading charity, said: “Understanding how we can keep incurable breast cancer under control when it stops responding to existing treatments is vital to help more people live longer with the disease.
“These encouraging results suggest a new way to treat patients with advanced ER positive HER2 negative breast cancer giving them precious extra time with their loved ones before the disease progresses.
“We hope that people can start benefiting from this treatment combination as soon as possible.”
Linda Kelly, who is from Milton Keynes, joined the trial at the Royal Marsden in August 2021 after her breast cancer spread to her bones and chest wall.
The 65-year-old said: “The results have been amazing. There has been a substantial reduction in my disease, my cancer has not progressed, and I haven’t had any new tumours.
“The treatment is far less debilitating than chemotherapy and I’ve been given the gift of a longer life.”
Capivasertib is being manufactured by pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca in the wake of a programme of drug discovery research at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London. The drug’s novel action blocks activity of the cancer-driving protein molecule AKT.
Breast cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer in the UK and the disease claims around 11,500 women’s lives every year.
Around 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Britain each year, with approximately one in five of these being triple negative. Younger women and black women are more likely to develop this form of breast cancer which is generally more aggressive.
Nick Turner, who is the trial leader, said: “This is a fantastic finding for patients with breast cancer”.
Professor Turner, who is a consultant oncologist at the Royal Marsden and a professor of molecular oncology at the ICR, noted “even with the best current treatments, people with this type of advanced breast cancer will eventually see their cancer stop responding to treatment, and it will progress”.
He added: “We’re delighted that this potential first-in-class drug combined with hormone therapy can lower the progression of these advanced cancers, and in almost a third of cases can shrink tumours.
“We believe this new treatment could allow more women and men to live well and live longer with breast cancer.”
One in seven women in Britain will develop breast cancer at one point in their life – with one woman diagnosed every 10 minutes.
