New chemotherapy drugs

New chemotherapy drugs

Advanced breast cancers are often hard to treat, so researchers are always looking for
newer drugs.
A drug class has been developed that targets cancers caused by BRCA mutations. This
class of drugs is called PARP inhibitors and they have shown promise in clinical trials
treating breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers that had spread and were resistant to other
treatments. Further studies are being done to see if this drug can help patients without
BRCA mutations.

Targeted therapies

Targeted therapies are a group of newer drugs that specifically take advantage of gene
changes in cells that cause cancer.
Drugs that target HER2: Three drugs approved for use target excess HER2 protein:
trastuzumab (Herceptin),lapatinib (Tykerb), and pertuzumab (Perjeta). Studies continue
to see how to best use these in treating early breast cancer. Other drugs that target the
HER2 protein are being tested in clinical trials, including TDM-1 and neratinib.
Researchers are also looking at using a vaccine to target the HER2 protein.
Anti-angiogenesis drugs: For cancers to grow, blood vessels must develop to nourish
the cancer cells. This process is called angiogenesis. Looking at angiogenesis in breast
cancer specimens can help predict prognosis. Some studies have found that breast cancers
surrounded by many new, small blood vessels are likely to be more aggressive. More
research is needed to confirm this.
Bevacizumab (Avastin) is an example of anti-angiogenesis drug. Although bevacizumab
turned out to not be very helpful in the treatment of breast cancer, this approach still may
prove useful in breast cancer treatment. Several other anti-angiogenesis drugs are being
tested in clinical trials.
Other targeted drugs: Everolimus (Afinitor) is a targeted therapy drug that seems to
help hormone therapy drugs work better. It is approved to be given with exemestane
(Aromasin) to treat advanced hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal
women. It has also been studied with other hormone therapy drugs and for
treatment of earlier stage breast cancer. In one study, letrozole plus everolimus worked
better than letrozole alone in shrinking breast tumors before surgery. It also seemed to
help in treating advanced hormone receptor-positive breast cancer when added to
tamoxifen.
Other potential targets for new breast cancer drugs have been identified in recent years.
Drugs based on these targets are now being studied, but most are still in the early stages
of clinical trials.

Bisphosphonates

Bisphosphonates are drugs that are used to help strengthen and reduce the risk of
fractures in bones that have been weakened by metastatic breast cancer. Examples
include pamidronate (Aredia) and zoledronic acid (Zometa).
Some studies have suggested that zoledronic acid may help other systemic therapies, like
hormone treatment and chemo) work better. In one study, tumors in the women getting
zolendric acid with chemo shrank more than those in the women treated with chemo
alone.
Other studies have looked at the effect of giving zoledronic acid with other adjuvant
treatment (like chemo or hormone therapy). So far, the results have been mixed. Some
studies have shown that this approach helped lower the risk of the cancer coming back,
but others did not. Recent data suggest that these drugs may actually increase the risk of
breast cancer recurrence in younger women. More data are needed to determine if
bisphosphonates should become part of standard therapy for early-stage breast cancer.

Denosumab

Denosumab (Xgeva, Prolia) can also be used to help strengthen and reduce the risk of
fractures in bones that have been weakened by metastatic breast cancer. It is being
studied to see if it can help adjuvant treatments work better.

Vitamin D

A recent study found that women with early-stage breast cancer who were vitamin D
deficient were more likely to have their cancer recur in a distant part of the body and had
a poorer outlook. More research is needed to confirm this finding, and it is not yet clear if
taking vitamin D supplements would be helpful. Still, you may want to talk to your
doctor about testing your vitamin D level to see if it is in the healthy range.
Additional resources for breast cancer
More information from your American Cancer Society
The following related information may also be helpful to you. These materials may be
ordered from our toll-free number, 1-800- 227-2345.
After Diagnosis: A Guide for Patients and Families (also available in Spanish)

Bone Metastasis

Breast Cancer Dictionary (also available in Spanish)
Breast Cancer Early Detection (also available in Spanish)
Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy (also available in Spanish)
Chemo brain
Clinical Trials: What You Need to Know
DES Exposure: Questions and Answers
Exercises After Breast Surgery (also available in Spanish)
Fatigue in People with Cancer
Genetic Testing: What You Need to Know
Inflammatory Breast Cancer
Is Abortion Linked to Breast Cancer?
Living With Uncertainty: The Fear of Cancer Recurrence
Lymphedema: What Every Woman With Breast Cancer Should Know
Mammograms and Other Breast Imaging Procedures
Medicines to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk
Non-cancerous Breast Conditions (also available in Spanish)
Pregnancy and Breast Cancer
Sexuality for the Woman with Cancer (also available in Spanish)
Talking with Your Doctor (also available in Spanish)
Understanding Chemotherapy (also available in Spanish)
Understanding Radiation Therapy (also available in Spanish)
When Cancer Doesn't Go Away
When Your Cancer Comes Back: Cancer Recurrence
Where to Find Hair Loss Accessories and Breast Cancer Products