Categories Cancer Treatment

Update: New FDA approval of PARP inhibitor for maintenance therapy in ovarian cancer

The FDA has approved the use of niraparib (Zejula) as a maintenance therapy for women with advanced ovarian cancer who have had a complete or partial response to chemotherapy. (5/7/20)

Update: FDA approves tucatinib (Tukysa) for metastatic Her2-positive breast cancer

The FDA has approved the use of tucatinib (Tukysa) in combination with chemotherapy as a treatment for people with metastatic Her2-positive breast cancer. This  approval includes treatment of people whose breast cancer has spread to the brain. (4/29/20)

Update: FDA approves new treatment for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

The FDA approved the use of sacituzumab govitecan-hizy (Trodelvy), a treatment drug for people with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer who have received at least two prior therapies for metastatic disease. (4/27/20)

Study: Can taking dietary supplements during chemotherapy do more harm than good?

It's common for people to take dietary supplements after being diagnosed with cancer; however, they may reduce how well chemotherapy works. A new study suggests that some dietary supplements may cause more harm than benefit for breast cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy. (3/4/20)

Study: Second surgery may not benefit women with recurrent ovarian cancer

Many women who have recurrent ovarian cancer have a second surgery. A new study suggests that women with platinum sensitive cancers who get chemotherapy alone may do as well as or better than women who have surgery followed by chemotherapy. (1/21/20)

Study: A new breast cancer drug improves overall survival among people with brain and other metastases

A promising new drug called tucatinib combined with standard therapy shows benefit for women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Women who took tucatinib experienced longer progression-free survival (time before their cancer worsened), longer overall survival time and response of cancer (shrinking or disappearing). Strikingly, better outcomes were also seen for women with brain metastases, which is often difficult to treat. (12/20/19) 

THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN UPDATED on 04/17/20:  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Tukysa (tucatinib) for use in combination with trastuzumab (Herceptin) and capecitabine for patients with advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, including patients with brain metastases (disease that has spread to the brain). Patients who have received one or more treatments targeting Her2 in the metastic setting are eligible to receive Tukysa. Tukysa  is an oral (tablet) tyrosine kinase inhibitor which is taken twice daily. 

Update: Genetic causes of hereditary pancreatic cancer: BRCA and beyond

An update on hereditary pancreatic cancer presented at the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting covered genes and lifetime risk. The update emphasized that all pancreatic cancer patients should be offered genetic counseling and testing. Genetic test results may impact treatment, screening for other cancers and risk to family members. (11/26/19)

Study: A new blood test may help predict early-stage breast cancer patients at highest risk for recurrence

Which patients are at risk for a relapse of early-stage breast cancer? Tests to predict recurrence would help find people who need more monitoring after treatment and provide a chance to find and treat them earlier. This study looked at whether a blood test for tumor DNA (called circulating tumor DNA or ctDNA) is useful for finding people with recurrence earlier than current clinical practice. (11/4/19)

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Study: Niraparib increases progression-free survival in patients with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer

This study looked at the effectiveness and safety of niraparib (Zejula), a PARP inhibitor, as maintenance therapy in newly diagnosed ovarian cancer patients who had a response to chemotherapy. (11/5/19)

Personal Story: A “flu shot” against breast cancer? Not so fast

There have been multiple reports in the media of a Florida woman who had a "shot" to treat her DCIS with a promising outcome. This XRAY reviews the underlying story about this early breast cancer vaccine trial. (10/25/19)