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This international early phase clinical trial, known as the FERGI trial, is testing a new oral chemotherapy drug called a PI3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor. These drugs inhibit a protein called “PI3-kinase” that may be involved in the growth and spread of some cancers. This research examines the use of a PI3K inhibitor in combination with the hormonal treatment fulvestrant (given as an intramuscular injection).
The Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition says a new report which shows how little New Zealand spends on medicines is a wake-up call which should lead to a review of funding for pharmaceuticals.
The report from Medicines New Zealand shows that New Zealand ranks 31st out of 32 nations in the amount it spends on pharmaceuticals as a proportion of GDP. Only Mexico spends less on medicines than New Zealand.
This international early phase clinical trial is testing a new oral chemotherapy drug called a PI3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor. These drugs inhibit a protein called “PI3-kinase” that may be involved in the growth and spread of some cancers. This research examines the use of a PI3K inhibitor in combination with the hormonal treatment fulvestrant (given as an intramuscular injection).
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among New Zealand women, with more than 2800 women diagnosed each year.
The best advice for women concerned about breast cancer is for women aged between 45 and 60 to be screened regularly as part of BreastScreen Aotearoa.
Most breast cancers occur by chance, with less than 5 percent attributable to the inheritance of a damaged or mutated gene.
In the mid-1990s two breast cancer genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, were identified. Rare mutations or variations of these genes, which occur in 0.5-1 percent of the population, increase the lifetime risk of breast and ovarian cancer to between 40 and 80 percent.
This clinical trial compares the order of treatments for women who have oestrogen and/or progesterone receptor positive breast cancer and need radiation treatment and hormone medication to control the breast cancer following surgery.
Some women with breast cancer need radiation therapy after surgery to help prevent the cancer recurring. Often hormone medication is also given to help control the cancer and lower the chance of it returning. The hormone medication may also help the radiotherapy prevent the cancer recurring in the breast area or nearby lymph nodes.
Sandi shares her breast cancer story with courageous honesty.
This clinical trial compares the order of treatments for women who have oestrogen and/or progesterone receptor positive breast cancer and need radiation treatment and hormone medication to control the breast cancer following surgery.
Some women with breast cancer need radiation therapy after surgery to help prevent the cancer recurring. Often hormone medication is also given to help control the cancer and lower the chance of it returning. The hormone medication may also help the radiotherapy prevent the cancer recurring in the breast area or nearby lymph nodes.
July 2013
The Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition (BCAC) welcomes recent news that 50 cancer nurses are now in place in DHBs throughout the country working as dedicated nurse coordinators guiding cancer patients through their treatment and follow up care.
Attending the inaugural Cancer Nurse Coordinator Forum in Wellington, Natalie James, National Nurse Lead of the Cancer Nurse Coordinator Initiative, says the aim is to have dedicated cancer nurses acting as a single point of contact and assisting patients and their families across different parts of the health service.
Some breast cancer sufferers could be treated with radiotherapy instead of more invasive surgery according to results from a Europe-wide study.
UK researchers, who studied 5,000 women found less invasive methods can be as effective as surgery for some patients.
It also means radiotherapy could be used instead to remove lymph nodes.
Consultant breast surgeon Prof Robert Mansel said it could mean fewer women requiring additional surgery.
The trial studied nearly 5,000 women to see if radiotherapy was equivalent to surgical removal of lymph nodes in the armpit.
New research shows that a lack of clinical trials aimed specifically at younger breast cancer patients leaves knowledge gaps that could be partly to blame for their poorer survival rates.
The study, by Cancer Research UK study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, analysed almost 3000 British women diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 40.
It looked at the survival for younger patients with oestrogen-receptor positive breast cancer; that is women whose cancers are fuelled by the female hormone oestrogen.
The findings showed that there was a steep increase in the rate of breast cancer recurrence after five years in younger women with this type of disease, who received chemotherapy followed by the drug tamoxifen.
