Breaking Research News from sources other than Breastcancer.org

debbew

A twice daily helping of onions and garlic could reduce the risk of breast cancer by a massive 67 per cent, a study reveals.

...In their new study, scientists wanted to examine the association between onion and garlic consumption and breast cancer in Puerto Rico.

The researchers, from the University at Buffalo (UB) and the University of Puerto Rico, chose to study a group of Puerto Rican women who eat lots of onions and garlic which are key ingredients in sofrito, stews, and rice dishes.

Lead study author Gauri Desai, a PhD student from the University at Buffalo, said: "We found that among Puerto Rican women, the combined intake of onion and garlic, as well as sofrito, was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. "In fact, those who consumed sofrito more than once per day had a 67 per cent decrease in risk compared to women who never ate it.

https://www.scotsman.com/health/eating-onions-and-garlic-twice-a-day-reduces-breast-cancer-risk-by-67-1-5010067

Lumpie

The Big Three Misdiagnosed Cases: Cancers, Vascular Events, & Infections

Recently, a study investigating misdiagnosis-related harms was published in the medical journal, Diagnosis, the official journal of the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM)... findings ... were ...presented at a Capitol Hill briefing ...in order to bring awareness and inspire healthcare-related changes when it comes to the serious harms of misdiagnosis.

The study identified "The Big Three" when it comes to misdiagnosis, and more specifically, misdiagnosis-related harms. These Big Three included cancers, vascular events, and infections.

{Findings} suggest that not only are the Big Three common in misdiagnosis situations, but they are also often associated with some of the most serious outcomes... nearly 38% were related to cancers... cancer-related misdiagnosis events were most commonly reported in the outpatient or clinic setting.

The researchers and the SIDM are hoping to use this information to inspire change and targeted initiatives in specific settings to help reduce misdiagnosis and misdiagnosis-related harms. The team of researchers are working on two more follow-up studies...

https://advancedbreastcancer.net/clinical/misdiagn...

Kanga_Roo

I wish we could find a cure to debunk this, but it rings terribly true

"Treating cancer with anything that actually works has been entirely outlawed in the United States, where 'healing has become a crime,' say independent observers. The conventional cancer industry isn't interested in curing the disease; it's interested in profiting from its continuation."

https://www.naturalnews.com/2019-04-10-cancer-industry-not-looking-for-cure.html?fbclid=IwAR13xr9C74iiR6LiIqpznLTkwUdxL1xmViDKk9dk13WhV3K28vRYx9oq-BQ

santabarbarian

Kanga the banner ad atop the article tells me this is a dubious source.

Kanga_Roo

Thanks Santabarbarian, still I think it’s worth the read to get different perspective - there is a lot of distrust out there of big pharma and how they sway health policy in their favour, rather than the patient’s. Cancer research is profit driven

debbew

BigPharma conducts financial analyses of any potential new drugs and only pursues the profitable ones (nowadays, primarily by buying out startups rather than conducting early research themselves). That means a lot of promising drugs for cancer and many other diseases languish. But that statement about outlawing cures by "independent observers" was not supported in any way. It's not that I trust BigPharma; companies will do what they can to protect their profits, including ethically iffy tactics like pay-for-delay of generics. We need to try to balance the corporate incentives with publicly funded research.

BTW, I was talking to a semi-retired biotech lawyer last night. He thinks that due to costs in the US and government support in China, most drug development will be conducted in China within the next ten years. Even if that is true, profits for those companies would still drive the selection of potential drugs.

Lumpie

Long‐Term Survival of De Novo Stage IV Human Epidermal Growth Receptor 2 (HER2) Positive Breast Cancers Treated with HER2‐Targeted Therapy

Background.

An increasing proportion of human epidermal growth receptor 2 (HER2) positive (HER2+) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is diagnosed as de novo stage IV disease. We hypothesize that a subset of these patients who achieve no evidence of disease (NED) status after multimodality HER2‐targeted treatments may have prolonged progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Materials and Methods.

Patients with de novo stage IV, HER2+ MBC (n = 483) diagnosed between 1998 and 2015 were identified at two institutions (Yale and MD Anderson Cancer Centers). Clinical variables, treatment details, and survival outcomes were compared between those who achieved NED and those who did not.

Results.

All patients received trastuzumab, and 20% also received pertuzumab as first‐line therapy. The median OS was 5.5 years. Sixty‐three patients (13.0%) achieved NED; their PFS and OS rates were 100% and 98%, respectively, at 5 years and remained the same at 10 years. For patients with no NED (n = 420), the PFS and OS rates were 12% and 45% at 5 years and 0% and 4% at 10 years, respectively. NED patients more frequently had solitary metastasis and surgery to resect cancer . In multivariate analysis, NED status and estrogen receptor positive status were associated with prolonged OS.

Conclusion.

Among patients with de novo stage IV, HER2+ MBC, those who achieve NED status have a very high PFS and OS. Further randomized studies are required to fully understand the impact of systemic or locoregional therapy on achieving these excellent long‐term outcomes.

Implications for Practice.

In this retrospective review at two institutions, it was demonstrated that 13% of patients with de novo stage IV, human epidermal growth receptor 2 positive metastatic breast cancer achieved no evidence of disease (NED) status with trastuzumab‐based therapy plus/minus local therapies, and these patients had a very high progression‐free survival (100%) and overall survival (98%) at both the 5‐ and 10‐year time points. Achieving NED status may be an important therapeutic goal. However, further randomized studies are required to fully understand the impact of systemic or locoregional therapy on achieving these excellent long‐term outcomes.

Published online before print August 23, 2018. The Oncologist

http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org/content/ear...

doi: 10.1634/theoncologist.2018-0213

{Confidence intervals and hazard ratios were deleted for readability. Please see abstract or full article for more details.}

Lumpie

Debbew: That is interesting about development moving to China. If true, it seems sad for our talented and experienced researchers here. Development has to be distinguished from production, but given recent safety and quality issues with drugs - not to mention supply chains - it raises questions about quality assurance and and the supply of critical medications.

There is no doubt that therapies that are not likely to be quite profitable are often not researched. Some of that, for better and/or worse, has been addressed by the orphan drug act. Other research needs to be publicly funded. There are a few organizations out there working to distribute low margin drug through public service or low profit corporations/organizations. I'll see if I can find some coverage. It's an interesting model.

Lumpie

I was reading a report that marijen posted yesterday. IMHO, this is knock-your-socks-off news. This type of test could allow earlier, non-invasive, accurate diagnoses which can be extremely difficult with certain types of cancer. The post was very thorough but I wanted to post a link in case anyone is interested in that or needs it later:

New blood test capable of detecting multiple types of cancer

Date:

September 28, 2019

Source:

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Summary:

A new blood test in development has shown ability to screen for numerous types of cancer with a high degree of accuracy, a trial of the test shows.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/1909...

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. (2019, September 28). New blood test capable of detecting multiple types of cancer. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 28, 2019 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190928082724...

Lumpie

A Superstar Team of Hospitals Is Sick of High Drug Prices—And Launching a Nonprofit Drug Company to Fight Them

By Sy Mukherjee

September 6, 2018

...a number of leading U.S. health systems announced an ambitious project: They would be banding together to create a non-profit generic drug company in the hopes of combating sky high drug prices and shortages regularly faced by American patients.

Civica Rx is a joint effort by big names like Catholic Health Initiatives, HCA Healthcare, Intermountain Healthcare, Providence St. Joseph Health, the Mayo Clinic, SSM Health, and Trinity Health. Those seven massive systems encompass about 500 American hospitals and will comprise the initial governing board of the group, which says it has attracted the interest of "more than 120 health organizations representing about a third of the nation's hospitals."

https://fortune.com/2018/09/06/civica-rx-nonprofit...

This article is considerably older:

Nonprofit vows to lower generic drug costs

By Robert Weisman {Boston} Globe Staff,December 13, 2015

https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2015/12/13/no...

{May require subscription to access}

Also reported upon here:

A U.S. nonprofit says it has a better way to make generic drugs

by EJ Lane | Oct 7, 2015

https://www.fiercepharma.com/manufacturing/a-u-s-n...

Lumpie

'Out here, it's just me': In the medical desert of rural America, one doctor for 11,000 square miles

He was the only working doctor left to care for three remote counties east of El Paso, an area similar in size to the entire state of Maryland, home to far-flung oil encampments, a desolate stretch of interstate, communities of drifters living off the electric grid, and highway towns made up of truck stops and budget motels. "A wild place of last resort," was how Garner described parts of his territory, and for every person in every kind of medical trouble, the true last resort was him.

In the medical desert that has become rural America, nothing is more basic or more essential than access to doctors, but they are increasingly difficult to find. The federal government now designates nearly 80 percent of rural America as "medically underserved." It is home to 20 percent of the U.S. population but fewer than 10 percent of its doctors, and that ratio is worsening each year because of what health experts refer to as "the gray wave." Rural doctors are three years older than urban doctors on average, with half over 50 and more than a quarter beyond 60. Health officials predict the number of rural doctors will decline by 23 percent over the next decade as the number of urban doctors remains flat.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/out-here-i...

{Article addresses lack of access to medical care in rural areas of the U.S. WaPo may limit access without a subscription.}

Lumpie

Second generation antihistamines after breast cancer diagnosis to improve prognosis both in patients with ER+ and ER- breast cancer.

Background: Subgroups of patients with breast cancer (BC) could be candidates for immunological interventions. In the present investigation the role of antihistamines on prognosis of breast cancer has been studied, especially comparing first and second generation H-1 receptor antagonists due to their possible different effects on cytokines.

Methods: The study includes all women with BC diagnosed in Sweden 2000 through 2008 (n = 54406). Dates of birth, BC diagnosis and TNM-stage were directly extracted from the cancer registry. Therapy with antihistamines was gathered from the Swedish Prescription Registry. Other registries utilised were the Cause of Death Registry, Population Registry, and the in patient or out patient registries. BC and overall survival was compared between users of antihistamines and non users. Analyses were adjusted for TNM-stage, receptor status and age at diagnosis. A late entry model was used for different types of antihistamines.

Results: The HR for BC specific survival for the combined group of antihistamine users (n = 9777) was 0.70 (0.66-0.75). All the effect was seen for use after BC diagnosis. Results remained after adjusting for out or in patient diagnoses of allergy. In late entry models women using desloratadine (n = 1895) had a HR of 0.69 (0.52-0.91). Loratadine users (n = 2132) HR of 0.74 (0.60-0.93). Cetirizine users (n = 3001) HR of 1.13 (0.96-1.33) and Klemastine users (n = 2278) had a HR of 0.98 (0.80-1.19). Ebastin users (n = 326) had a HR of 0.50 (0.22-1.12) and Fenofexadine users (n = 145) had a HR of 0.73 (0.30–1.76). The analyses was also stratified for ER-status, but the results did not differ noticeably. Results were similar when overall survival was analysed.

Conclusions: This population based registry study shows that women treated with second generation antihistamines have a better overall and BC specific survival compared with non users regardless of age, history of allergy, ER status and tumor stage. The results are strongest for desloratadine use and use after BC diagnosis. Second generation antihistamines could offer a nontoxic therapy for both receptor positive and negative BC. The mechanism behind this effect is presently unknown.

https://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/jco.2015.33.1...

DOI: 10.1200/jco.2015.33.15_suppl.3062 Journal of Clinical Oncology 33, no. 15_suppl (May 20, 2015) 3062-3062.

Published online January 31, 2017.

Lumpie

Report Back from ASCO on Metastatic Breast Cancer

Dr. Linda Vahdat, medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Chief of Medical Oncology and Clinical Director of Cancer Services at Norwalk Hospital, will summarize research presented at ASCO 2019 focusing on metastatic breast cancer. Dr. Vahdat will also discuss her current research in triple negative metastatic breast cancer.

@{@ 1 hour video/webinar presentation}

https://www.sharecancersupport.org/report-back-from-asco-on-metastatic-breast-cancer-3/

Karenfizedbo15

Great variety of articles Lumpie. Thank you

debbew

Lumpie, thanks for the info on Civica Rx. I hope it succeeds and provides drugs to individuals as well as hospitals!

debbew

Ultrasound breakthrough 'can spot cancer earlier'

A new ultrasound technique is being hailed as the biggest breakthrough in the technology for more than 60 years.

Developed at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, it produces images that are 10 times better than current scans.

Researchers believe its ability to precisely pinpoint tumours could one day replace biopsies in investigating suspected cancer cases.

The method, which is about to begin trials in human patients, uses existing scanning equipment... The innovation has come in physics, statistics [,artificial intelligence] - and bubbles...

Dr Lu says it helps to think of each microbubble as a car in traffic. He used artificial intelligence to create a powerful algorithm that can track each one, and reveal the busiest routes...

If they go somewhere unexpected, it could be a sign of cancer - and one detectable much earlier than before.

These are super-resolution images showing details far beyond the physical limitations of the scanner...

Trials on human patients are expected to begin before the end of 2019 at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-49870017

Faith-840

As Karen said, great variety of articles. Thanks for all the research you do. I save lots of these posts for future needs. I especially liked the one on antihistamine use being good for breast cancer. I have bad allergies and take lots of antihistamines. I've had MBC for almost four years now and I'm stable or NED after Ibrance for only 16 months and Letrozole alone since then. Wonder if the antihistamines are helping to keep the cancer in check.

Faith (in the future)

BevJen

Interesting article about diet and its effect on breast cancer cells (as well as other cancer cells)

https://scienmag.com/dietary-vulnerability-found-i...

Hopeful82014

This provides interesting insights into post-neoadjuvant treatment pathology:

https://www.cancertherapyadvisor.com/home/cancer-topics/general-oncology/chemo-post-neoadjuvant-pathologists-need-better-reporting-guidelines/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cta-spotlight-hay-20191003&cpn=&hmSubId=QaG0-9nmgso1&hmEmail=NMfPU09ijgzIXq1x6E87s1eRWY7ycbnr0&NID=&dl=0&mpweb=1323-70143-266960

Hopeful82014

This reports a secondary analysis of the TAILORx trial that focused on outcomes for women with scores of 26-100, including a break down of results by chemo regimen.

As a reminder - none of this applies to node-positive cases.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/919336?src=wnl_edit_tpal&uac=153476CT&impID=2117707&faf=1#vp_1

marijen

Risk Factors for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer among Latina Women

Laura Rey-Vargas, María Carolina Sanabria-Salas, Laura Fejerman and Silvia J. Serrano-GómezDOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-19-0035

• Article
• Info & Metrics
• PDF

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Latina women. Although they have a lower incidence of the disease when compared with other population groups such as non-Hispanic white and African-American women, some studies have shown that Latina women have a higher risk of mortality when compared with non-Hispanic white women. This phenomenon can be explained in part by the higher prevalence of aggressive subtypes in Latina women, particularly the triple negative. Such differences in breast cancer–intrinsic subtype distribution between population groups might be a consequence of a variety of risk factors differentially present among population groups. Here, we provide a full description of risk factors that might be associated with the high prevalence of the triple-negative subtype in Latina women. We assessed demographic (socioeconomic status), modifiable (reproductive patterns, obesity, and physical activity), and nonmodifiable (family history, germline BRCA mutations, and genetic ancestry) risk factors. The observed inconsistencies among different epidemiologic studies in Latinas warrant further research focused on breast cancer subtype–specific risk factors in this population.

marijen

BevJen, to make your link live, all you have to do is hit return after the link.

BevJen

Marjen,

Thanks. A techie I am not!

marijen

You’re welcome BevJen. I’ll say I used to be a techie, but now I only care about a few good years of quality life that I have left and keeping up techwise, well, I just don’t care too much anymore.

mysticalcity

An essential approach in integrative healthcare involves the strategic combination of targeted modalities that work together to increase benefits of conventional therapies. This is particularly essential when addressing cellular health.

A 2017 preclinical study published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine demonstrates that a breast health dietary supplement offers significant support in this area, specifically against the growth of aggressive breast cells.

Performed at the Methodist Research Institute, Indiana University Health, this study highlights the ability of the breast formula to boost the effects of tamoxifen—a hormonal protocol used for cellular breast health—against estrogen receptor-positive (ER-positive) breast cells. This is the fourth published study on this physician-formulated supplement, and the first using ER-positive cells, to demonstrate the vital breast health benefits of this unique formula.*

These outstanding results were also presented June 2019, at the ICCR-2019.

Breastdefend Enhances Effect of Tamoxifen in Estrogen ReceptorPositive Human Breast Cancer in Vitro and in Vivo

http://cancerconf.org/material/Paper%208.pdf

marijen

• Patient Selection Key When De-Escalating Radiation in Breast Cancer
• Duke Cancer Institute Faculty Describe Latest Efforts in Breast Cancer Research
• Positive Abemaciclib Data Emerge for Chinese Women With HR+ Breast Cancer
• PD-L1 Assays Demonstrate <70% Concordance in Advanced TNBC
• Abemaciclib/Fulvestrant Improves Survival in HR+ Advanced Breast Cancer

debbew

Anti-evolution drug may help treat resistant breast cancers

Many cancer treatments work very well in the beginning only to fail later as tumours evolve resistance. But a new generation of therapies are being developed to prevent this.

One, called BOS172722, has been shown in animal studies to restore the effectiveness of paclitaxel, the main chemotherapy used to treat so-called triple-negative breast cancer...

[BOS172722] binds to and blocks a protein called MPS1 that plays a key role in division. The combination of the two drugs together causes such severe chromosomal abnormalities that none of the cancer cells survive. And if no cells survive, there can be no resistance.

There are some side effects, and the initial aim of the trial is to establish the maximum safe dose.

Article: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2218935-anti-evolution-drug-may-help-treat-resistant-breast-cancers/#ixzz61VoBnC60

Also, Breast cancer drug trial raises hopes

The drug - known as BOS172722 - works by forcing cancer cells through cell division too quickly.

Spiros Linardopoulos, professor of cancer biology and therapeutics at the ICR, who led the study, said: "We have discovered a brand new type of cancer treatment that uses cancer's rapid growth against it, by forcing cells through cell division so quickly that they accumulate fatal errors...

According to the study published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, cancer cells in dishes treated with the MPS1 inhibitor went through cell division in just 11 minutes, compared with 52 minutes without the drug.

And fast-dividing cells, from triple-negative breast cancers, ovarian and lung cancers, were especially sensitive to the effects of blocking MPS1.

Article: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2218935-anti-...

Study: https://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/18/10/1696.abstract

marijen

Earlier Diagnosis and Treatment Are Next Steps in TNBC Paradigm

There is an unprecedented array of therapeutic options for patients with triple-negative breast cancer, with more approaches on the horizon.

Immunotherapy for Breast Cancer: What's New and What's on the Horizon?

Immunotherapy may finally be taking center stage in breast cancer, although much work remains to be done.

Rugo Highlights Latest Advances in TNBC Treatment

Hope S. Rugo, MD, discusses the latest advancements and clinical trial data in triple-negative breast cancer treatment.

Lumpie

Short Courses of Antibiotics Can Cause Big Problems for Dental Patients

Unnecessary antibiotics linked with cases of C. diff, anaphylaxis

Some dental patients who were inappropriately given antibiotics prior to procedures suffered adverse events potentially connected to the drugs, such as anaphylaxis and Clostridioides difficile infection, researchers said here. Of patients inappropriately prescribed antibiotic prophylaxis prior to a dental procedure, almost 4% had adverse events ranging from new allergies and emergency department visits to anaphylaxis and C. difficile infection... Dentists prescribe 10% of antibiotics in the U.S., and are the largest specialty prescriber....o put that into perspective, she added, pediatricians and internists prescribe 10%-12% of all antibiotics in the U.S.

https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/idwee...

{Many of us face dental issues while being treated for b.c. so this article seemed uniquely relevant.}

Lumpie

Novel CDK 4/6 Inhibitor Fails in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Misses primary endpoints but has unexpected key benefit

Attempting to limit adverse events with the investigational cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitor trilaciclib in triple-negative breast cancer failed to do what investigators theorized, missing both primary and secondary endpoints, researchers reported here. Nevertheless, treatment was still associated with improved overall survival relative to a standard chemotherapy regimen. Median overall survival was 12.6 months for women who were treated with gemcitabine plus carboplatin vs 20.1 months for those who had trilaciclib added twice during each 21-day treatment cycle with the chemotherapy doublet (P=0.0023), and 17.8 months for those who received trilaciclib four times per cycle... treatment was still associated with improved overall survival relative to a standard chemotherapy regimen.

"Patients who didn't receive trilaciclib were able to handle four cycles of chemotherapy, and those who received one of the two trilaciclib administration schedules were about to handle seven or eight cycles of gemcitabine-carboplatin, which translated to receiving 50% more chemotherapy in the trilaciclib arms. But there were no differences between the groups in side effects." ...that suggests some degree of bone marrow protection, because we were able to give more chemotherapy without having any statistically greater adverse events,"

"There is definitely interest in going ahead with a Phase III trial with gemcitabine and carboplatin plus or minus trilaciclib."

https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/esmo/...