The combination of the two drugs reduces the HER2-positive breast cancer in 11 days

The Scientists from the Institute of cancer research, (London) the University of Manchester and the University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, has found an interesting revelation about breast cancer. Their exhaustive research on a group of women who suffer from malignant tumors of breast cancer found that a combination of two drugs on lapatinib  and trastuzumab (Herceptin) can effectively shrink tumors HER2 cancer affected women in 11 days. The result is a pretty compelling and drew attention to the world.

The test was applied to EPHOS (B) 256 women suffering from HER2-positive breast cancer. Then the women were in the phase between initial diagnosis and surgery to remove the tumors. With 256 women were divided into three groups. They were being treated for 11 days before their operation. Initially, the products are administered to patients in a random manner. So while some were given lapatinib,  trastuzumab some were given, some got a combination of both, and others were given no treatment at all.

Half way between the test sessions, patients taking a combination of the both drugs began to appear more responsive. It has been observed that 17 percent of the women taking both drugs had only minimal residual disease. Is defined as the invasive tumor, which is usually less than 5 mm in size. 11% had a pathological complete response which means that no biological mark of the invasive tumor can be found in the breast.

The trial Co-leader Professor Judith Bliss, Director of the Cancer Research UK-funded clinical trials and the statistics unit in ICR, said! our trial set, to try to use the window between diagnosis and surgery to find traces of that combined treatment with trastuzumab 'em and lapatinib, have a biological effect on HER2 positive tumors. So it was unexpected to see quite such a dramatic response to trastuzumab and lapatinib in 11 days.

Our results are a strong foundation on which you can build additional studies of the combined anti-HER2 therapy before surgery which could reduce the number of women that require subsequent chemotherapy, which is also very effective, but can lead to long-term side effects.