May 20, 2020 10:40PM Bliss58 wrote:
Shetland, MO said the pathologist told her she labeled me HER2 negative because there were fewer than 10% cells; the report says 8%. Does that mean non-amplified? MO is keeping me on current tx for now.
Share your research articles, interpretations and experiences here. Let us know how these studies affect you and your decisions.
Posted on: Nov 20, 2017 11:31PM - edited Nov 20, 2017 11:35PM by Lumpie
Lumpie wrote:
I watch for research news on breast cancer, treatments, etc., and frequently see interesting articles. There is a topic on BCO called "Breaking Research News from Breastcancer.org." One of the moderators suggested that another topic might be appropriate for posting links and synopses of reports on research found elsewhere. So here it is! Please post links to reports on research form reliable sources. Thanks for sharing!
Posts 2041 - 2070 (2,569 total)
May 20, 2020 10:40PM Bliss58 wrote:
Shetland, MO said the pathologist told her she labeled me HER2 negative because there were fewer than 10% cells; the report says 8%. Does that mean non-amplified? MO is keeping me on current tx for now.
May 21, 2020 05:26PM BlueGirlRedState wrote:
Reading all the posts in various forums, it is increadible what is covered/what it not, the care, advice etc people get. The denial is being appealed, and one patient support advocate felt confident that insurance would cover all or most of it. Contacting my representatives is a waste of time. I have contacted them on several issues including health, and their replies often do not address what I wrote about, or are non-commital, or tell me why I am wrong. We passed an initiative on the ballot to expand Medicaid in this state, and legislators made an attempt to weaken or get rid of it (they failed). They also made an attempt to make the initiative process much more difficult. ( We know more than you do). So far that has failed as well. I do not celebrate the idea of "Medicare for All", because the focus is on insurance/who pays/how much, and not on health care itself. I know some people have no or poor coverage and this would be a chance to pay for treatment they cannot afford. So Medicare is certianly is part of the equation. The other day there was an interview on NPR with a woman whose surgery for BC had been postponed because of covid-19. Her tumor has grown a lot, and the treatment she now requires, is much more invasive. It sounded less hopeful as well.
May 26, 2020 12:58AM BSandra wrote:
Dear all, these are not breaking news but we have to keep an eye on Tesetaxel, an oral Taxane. It achieved high response rates in clinical trials even in patients pretreated with other taxanes. I know ow amazing Docetaxel was for my wife, and Tesetaxel (not to mention it is oral) seems very promising:
https://www.ascopost.com/issues/july-25-2018/oral-...
https://www.odonate.com/tesetaxel.
Saulius
May 26, 2020 05:35AM JoynerL wrote:
Saulius, thanks so much for the article. I was not aware of Tesetaxel. I will investigate further with my own MO. Very encouraging!
May 26, 2020 12:03PM Lumpie wrote:
DHA Affects Microtubule Dynamics Through Reduction of Phospho-TCTP Levels and Enhances the Antiproliferative Effect of T-DM1 in Trastuzumab-Resistant HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Cell LinesMay 23, 2020
Publication: Cells (Open access)
Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) is an anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) antibody-drug conjugated to the microtubule-targeting agent emtansine (DM1). T-DM1 is an effective agent in the treatment of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer whose disease has progressed on the first-line trastuzumab containing chemotherapy. However, both primary and acquired tumour resistance limit its efficacy. Increased levels of the phosphorylated form of Translationally Controlled Tumour Protein (phospho-TCTP) have been shown to be associated with a poor clinical response to trastuzumab therapy in HER2-positive breast cancer. Here we show that phospho-TCTP is essential for correct mitosis in human mammary epithelial cells. Reduction of phospho-TCTP levels by dihydroartemisinin (DHA) causes mitotic aberration and increases microtubule density in the trastuzumab-resistant breast cancer cells HCC1954 and HCC1569. Combinatorial studies show that T-DM1 when combined with DHA is more effective in killing breast cells compared to the effect induced by any single agent. In an orthotopic breast cancer xenograft model (HCC1954), the growth of the tumour cells resumes after having achieved a complete response to T-DM1 treatment. Conversely, DHA and T-DM1 treatment induces a severe and irreversible cytotoxic effect, even after treatment interruption, thus, improving the long-term efficacy of T-DM1. These results suggest that DHA increases the effect of T-DM1 as poison for microtubules and supports the clinical development of the combination of DHA and T-DM1 for the treatment of aggressive HER2-overexpressing breast cancer.
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/9/5/1260
https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9051260
May 26, 2020 04:03PM Lumpie wrote:
PD-L1 And What It Means In Cancer Treatementhttps://www.whatnext.com/blog/posts/pd-l1-and-what-it-means-in-cancer-treatement
{Not research, per se, but an brief and accessible article about PD-L1, a bit of history of immunotherapy research, and a very brief explanation of how immunotherapy attempts to work.}
May 26, 2020 04:09PM morrigan_2575 wrote:
As of May 2019 TDM-1 is now used for residual disease after neoadjuvant treatment in early stage HER2+ BC.
I did also see a study that TDM-1 (Kadcyla) and Perjeta cuts Risk Reccurance in half compared to Herceptin/Perjeta. I'm not sure if that's for very small/low risk BS where they just give H/P without Chemo.
I am wondering if there isn't any eventual plan to replace TCHP and AC+THP with Kadcyla (instead of Herceptin)
May 26, 2020 04:39PM Lumpie wrote:
I am not aware of any standard protocols for giving H&P without a cytotoxin (chemo). (There may be instances in which physicans moderate or minimize the chemo for particularly frail or intolerant patients. There may have been clinical trials on this.)
Regarding "replace TCHP and AC+THP with Kadcyla," I personally think this would have many advantages; however, a recent clinical trial found that Kadcyla did not provide better outcomes than TCHP, nor was it deemed meaningfully less expensive, so they plan to make patients keep on getting TCHP. This assessment makes a huge error in appreciating patient experience, in my opinion. While "everyone is different" my experience of TCHP was on a different planet vs Kadcyla. Kadcyla was much easier for me to tolerate. Plus there is the issue of hair loss vs. not - which has implications beyond mere vanity. The trial was reported on this board. It would probably show up by searching for Kadcyla for early stage BC or something similar.
I thought AC was only given for TNBC now, but maybe that is not the case.
Thanks.
May 26, 2020 05:38PM Lumpie wrote:
BlueGirl: I'm still catching up from an overwhelming schedule. I know it is very frustrating. Sorry you are dealing with that. I am very disappointed that your/our legislative representatives are so unresponsive. The interview you mentioned sounds just heartbreaking. We all keep plodding along.
May 26, 2020 06:33PM morrigan_2575 wrote:
" am not aware of any standard protocols for giving H&P without a cytotoxin (chemo). (There may be instances in which physicans moderate or minimize the chemo for particularly frail or intolerant patients. There may have been clinical trials on this.)"
I read a post here or maybe on a Facebook group I belong too where the person mentioned her IDC was so small the MO felt she didn't need Chemo, just a year of Herceprin. But honestly I can't recall if this was recent or an older post.
"thought AC was only given for TNBC now, but maybe that is not the case."
I went to 3 MOs (ended up going with the first one). 2 of the 3 told me TCHP. The 3rd gave me the option of TCHP or AC+THP. She said the results were the same but, TCHP had more toxicity. I was planning on doing Cold Capping which doesn't work well with AC+T. Plus the money of doing weekly taxol with Cold Capping would have been too expensive.đ
I'm happy to hear Kadcyla treated you better than TCHP that seems to be the majority sentiment on the Kadcyla thread. I didn't have any awful time with TCHP, tolerated it well but, I'm worried about 14 Cycles of Kadcyla since it's got Chemo in there. I'm hoping for a pCR when I get my surgery so I can avoid Kadcyla but, I'll do it if I have to, no question
May 26, 2020 07:52PM Lumpie wrote:
morrigan_2575: Good luck! Hope all goes well and you have no repeats!
May 26, 2020 09:22PM Kanga_Roo wrote:
An interesting read
https://www.technologynetworks.com/cancer-research/news/how-carcinogens-trigger-development-of-breast-cancer-335197?utm_
May 27, 2020 01:28AM sunandsea wrote:
Lumpie - thank you so much for posting the results from the FAST-Forward trial aka âHypofractionated Breast Radiotherapy for 1 Week Noninferior to 3 Weeksâ. I just emailed my radiation oncologist about it (Iâm still going through chemo but plan to start radiation in late July/August). This couldnât come at a better time for so many given the costs (both real and time-related) and possible COVID-19 exposure from repeated visits to the clinic for radiation.
May 27, 2020 04:40PM - edited May 27, 2020 04:40PM by Lumpie
sunandsea: Glad that is helpful. If widely adopted, that treatment option would be huge news for lots of people. Less travel, less time off work, and away from family and other obligations. Less reconstruction - or less going without reconstruction. Many forgo the less invasive option of lumpectomy because of challenges with accessing radiation therapy. We can hope that this may make the entire array of options more accessible to the people who need them. Good luck with your treatment!
May 29, 2020 12:13AM Lumpie wrote:
Off Target: Investigating the Abscopal Effect as a Treatment for CancerThe abscopal effect occurs when radiation treatmentâor another type of local therapyânot only shrinks the targeted tumor but also leads to the shrinkage of untreated tumors elsewhere in the body. Although the precise biological mechanisms responsible for the abscopal effect are still being investigated, the immune system is thought to play an important role.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13014-016-0693-8. CC BY 4.0.
May 29, 2020 08:07AM BevJen wrote:
Lumpie,
This is fascinating stuff. I've read about it before, but this is a great article. Thanks for posting!
May 29, 2020 10:17AM Lumpie wrote:
Pyrotinib or lapatinib plus capecitabine for HER2+ metastatic breast cancer (PHOEBE): A randomized phase III trial.Lillie Shockney's takeaways:
Take-Home Message
Citation: J Clin Oncol 38: 2020 (suppl; abstr 1003)
DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2020.38.15_suppl.1003May 29, 2020 10:28AM Lumpie wrote:
Thanks BevJen, I thought so too. I was just this week looking at radiation as a Tx option so it really caught my attention. Sure would be great if they could pin down a way to get that immune response to it work reliably!
May 29, 2020 11:03AM santabarbarian wrote:
Heat excites the Immune system and pushes cancer cells into being recognized by causing them to give off heat shock protein....
May 29, 2020 11:18AM - edited May 29, 2020 11:19AM by Simone80
Lumpie,
Thanks for your posts. I just had a chance to read the one about using radiation. That is very interesting and promising. I wish they could get studies\trials going on some of these findings. It just seems like some of the more promising things happening are still in the labs.
May 29, 2020 12:58PM santabarbarian wrote:
Simone, I agree there seems to be a lot 'on the cusp' with promise, which is frustrating. Still other things are pretty well validated but hard to make $$ from so they never receive the gold standard of a double blind clinical trial. So they hover at the edge of breaking through to more widespread use but remain "untested".
Hyperthermia/ aka Heat is a very good immune activator, & is safe to healthy cells in a temp range that hurts cancer. And sometimes it can be self administered. If your lump is right by the surface of your skin, a hot hot water bottle will heat it up. External heat can penetrate into tissue, that's how Vets do it for dogs.
In clinical settings, ultrasounds can bring heat as well or probes or heating the whole body externally or heating the blood and recirculating it, or medically inducing a fever. Whatever the method, if the cancer cells hit 108+ for an hour, they die or get very damaged, giving off heat shock protein, and due to HSP they become recognizable by the immune system. Normal cells are good to about 112. So there is a range of temp safe to us but not cancer.
I did this to the point of magenta boob and armpit (mildly burned but not painful) throughout chemo. It took me about four months to fully go back to normal after chemo but healed perfectly. I think it helped me and it was easy to do while watching TV or chilling.
May 29, 2020 01:14PM Lumpie wrote:
Santabarbarian, Simone80 and others: It can seem discouraging that there is so much promise from bench research but things don't move to the clinical trial phase. As many of you know, Metavivor funds research on metastatic breast cancer. Someone from the organization said within the last week, there are promising proposals, just not enough funding for all of them. Other organizations fund promising research, too. Unfortunately, I am not able to fund much beyond lunch! But I try to do my part with small donations here and there and fundraising and advocacy work where I can. I don't have to tell readers here how important research is. I think if we all do a little, we can accomplish a lot.
May 29, 2020 01:30PM Hopeful82014 wrote:
Important new research from England on DCIS:
Study Gives New Data on Long Term Risks of DCIS
(If that link doesn't work, please speak up and I'll provide another.)
May 29, 2020 01:55PM morrigan_2575 wrote:
"Still other things are pretty well validated but hard to make $$ from so they never receive the gold standard of a double blind clinical trial. So they hover at the edge of breaking through to more widespread use but remain "untested"."
Isn't that the worst part?! đ
May 29, 2020 11:38PM Lumpie wrote:
Liver MetastasesâDirected Therapy in the Management of Oligometastatic Breast CancerMay 29, 2020 11:39PM Lumpie wrote:
Surgical Intervention for Isolated Breast Cancer Liver MetastasisMay 30, 2020 04:42AM Jelson wrote:
this is a better link to the British study on DCIS long term risk of invasive bc posted above by Hopeful82014 https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m1570
May 30, 2020 11:37AM - edited May 30, 2020 11:39AM by Lumpie
New Clue to Anti-PD-L1 Activity in Breast Cancer? â Survival benefit with durvalumab in patients with PDL1 copy number alterationA novel biomarker identified a large subgroup of metastatic breast cancer patients who benefited from an immune checkpoint inhibitor....
Almost a fourth of patients with no identified actionable mutations had copy number alteration (CNA) in the PD-L1 gene. Patients without PD-L1 CNA had a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 9 months when treated with the PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab (Imfinzi), whereas median PFS had yet to be reached in patients whose tumors had copy number gain (three or four copies) or amplification (more than four).
Data for the CNA analysis came from the SAFIR02 Breast Immuno trial...
https://cslide.ctimeetingtech.com/breast2020/attendee/confcal/session/calendar/2020-05-24
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02299999
May 30, 2020 11:44AM Lumpie wrote:
First-Line Pembrolizumab Plus Chemotherapy Improved PFS in PD-L1âPositive mTNBCCombining pembrolizumab with chemotherapy resulted in significant improvements in progression-free survival compared with chemotherapy alone among women with previously untreated PD-L1âpositive metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), according to results from the KEYNOTE-355 trial.
Cortes J, Cescon DW, Rugo HS, et al. KEYNOTE-355: Randomized, double-blind, phase III study of pembrolizumab + chemotherapy versus placebo + chemotherapy for previously untreated locally recurrent inoperable or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Presented at: ASCO20 Virtual Scientific Program. J Clin Oncol. 2020;38(suppl):abstr 1000.
ASCO conference reporting here:
{Seems like there are lots of PD-L1 studies in the news right now!}
May 30, 2020 12:11PM Lumpie wrote:
HCQ Linked to Harm in Cancer Patients â Combination with azithromycin associated with three-fold risk of mortality, registry study showsUse of hydroxychloroquine in cancer patients who are also diagnosed with COVID-19 provided no benefits, and may have worsened outcomes, researchers suggested.
Treatment with the combination of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin to treat COVID-19 in cancer patients was associated with a 2.89-fold greater risk of 30-day mortality than use of neither drug, reported Jeremy Warner, MD, of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, in a late-breaker abstract at the virtual American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting.
ASCO conference coverage here:
https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/asco