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BCAC Chair Libby Burgess reflected on this question after attending the premier international breast cancer research conference, SABCS 2023, in San Antonio Texas last month. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype lacking HER2 or hormone receptors. It is the most challenging type of breast cancer to treat, particularly at the advanced stage. However, research over the last 20 years has broadened treatment options and improved patient outcomes.

At SABCS, Libby was able to gain an in-depth understanding of current treatments offered overseas and the scientific evidence backing them, as well as learning about where the research is heading next. Libby noted with dismay how far New Zealand has fallen behind the rest of the developed world in treating both the early and advanced stages of this aggressive breast cancer subtype. Neoadjuvant therapy is not offered to all who would benefit. There is no funded access to immunotherapies such as pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and atezolizumab (Tecentriq), PARP inhibitirs such as olaparib (Lynparza) and talazoparib (Talzenna) or the antibody drug conjugates sacituzumab govitecan (Trodelvy) or T-DXd (Enhertu). BCAC is resolved to continue to advocate strongly for better access to modern treatments for TNBC in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Many patients with advanced breast cancer use herbs and supplements, as well as other treatments like relaxation and massage, to relieve symptoms. However, many patients are taking herbs or supplements that may be harmful or interact with their cancer medications. Most cancer drugs and most foods, herbs and supplements are broken down by the same liver enzyme pathways; a particular example is grapefruit, which therefore interacts with trastuzumab and paclitaxel (among many others). Two supplements that don’t appear to interact with any medications are melatonin and omega-3. Patients should always tell their doctors what supplements and herbs they are taking (and don’t forget to mention grapefruit!). However, it’s a ‘two-way street’, as doctors also need to remain open-minded or their patients will conduct their own research and may reach dangerous conclusions.

BCAC’s Marion Barnett recently attended ABC7 online, an international conference on advanced breast cancer. Here is her report on a talk about integrative medicine given by German breast cancer researcher Rachel Würstlein. Integrative medicine is the combination of medical treatments for cancer and complementary therapies to cope with symptoms and side effects.

Researchers have engineered gold nanoparticles to target blood vessels in tumours and make them leaky so that chemotherapy drugs can get in and do their work more easily.

Women with obesity when diagnosed with early breast cancer have a higher risk of recurrence or a second cancer compared with women whose weight is in the normal range, but losing

Ribociclib (Kisqali) is already used to treat advanced hormone receptor-positive (HR-positive) breast cancer.

While drugs given during chemotherapy can help to combat nausea, more than half of patients also suffer from delayed nausea and vomiting.

Otago University PhD student Hui Yee Yao is collaborating with Auckland-based medical oncologist Dr Catherine Han on a research project to provide insights on how New Zea

Dr Emma Nolan is a breast cancer scientist who recently moved back to New Zealand after training and working in overseas labs for the last 11 years.

BCAC member group Breast Cancer Cure has announced a new partnership with Cancer Research Trust to fund New Zealand research into breast cancer.