In a nutshell In this article, researchers investigated the adverse effects of zoledronic acid (Zometa) in breast cancer patients. Specifically, they examined the occurrence of osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) and other oral (mouth) complications. Some background Zoledronic acid (zoledronate) is a drug commonly used to treat osteoporosis (loss...
Read MoreIn a nutshell In this study researchers examined the effect of a specific chemotherapy combination on disease-free survival in patients with node negative breast cancer. FAC treatment was compared to FAC treatment plus paclitaxel (FACwP). Some background A combination of the drugs fluorouracil (efudex), doxorubicin (doxil), and cyclophosphamide...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This phase III clinical trial evaluated the effects on survival of the drug lapatinib in combination with a standard chemotherapy agent called paclitaxel in newly diagnosed HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer patients. Some background Some breast cancer cells have on their surface a protein (receptor) called human epidermal...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study compared survival rates of patients who developed cancer in both breasts (called contralateral breast cancer or CBC) and patients who had cancer in one breast (unilateral breast cancer or UBC). Some background Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Breast cancer survivors are 3.5 times more likely to develop...
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In a nutshell The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between survival outcomes and specific adverse events (AEs) in patients after menopause (postmenopausal) with breast cancer treated with hormone therapy. Some background Most breast cancers grow in response to estrogen, the main female sex hormone. Therefore, hormone therapy...
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In a nutshell This study looks at survival rates and side effects after 5 years following a newer radiotherapy procedure in patients with breast cancer. This radiotherapy procedure is called accelerated partial breast irradiation (ABPI) delivered using 3-dimentional conformal external beam radiation therapy (3D-CRT). Some background Treatment for...
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In a nutshell This phase 3 clinical trial investigated the safety and efficacy of lapatinib (Tykerb) in women with HER2 positive early-stage breast cancer. Some background HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer is a type of cancer where a protein named human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is present on the surface of the breast...
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In a nutshell This phase 3 clinical trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of adding pertuzumab to trastuzumab and docetaxel for the treatment of patients with HER2+ metastatic breast cancer (mBC). Some background Some breast cancer cells have on their surface some proteins called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) that help...
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In a nutshell This phase 3 clinical trial compared the safety and efficacy of two different combination treatments in women with early stage breast cancer: anastrozole (Arimidex) plus goserelin (Zoladex) versus tamoxifen (Nolvadex) plus goserelin. Some background An estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer requires estrogen (the primary...
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In a nutshell This phase II clinical trial tested whether a new drug, entinostat, can work in concert with exemestane (a hormone therapy drug), to fight breast cancer that no longer responds to hormone therapy alone. Some background Some breast cancers need estrogen (a female sex hormone) to grow. These breast cancer cells respond to estrogen via...
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In a nutshell This study evaluated whether there is any benefit from radiation therapy (RT) in women over the age of 70 with early stage breast cancer treated with lumpectomy (surgical removal of the cancerous lump) and tamoxifen. Some background Breast cancer in older patients is often fueled by estrogen, a female sex hormone. These cancer...
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In a nutshell This phase II clinical trial evaluated the effect of the drug celecoxib (Celebrex) as treatment for patients with breast cancer. Some background Inflammation is one of the body's natural responses to injury and may play a role in cancer formation. Inflammation is controlled in part by a type of hormone produced by cells...
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