Cancer drug: New treatment halts tumour growth [not bc-specific]

More than half of the 40 patients given berzosertib [an ATR kinase inhibitor aka VX-970, M6620] had the growth of their tumours halted [in a phase 1 trial].

Berzosertib was even more effective when given alongside chemotherapy, the trial run by the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the Royal Marsden NHS Trust suggested.

...One of the study's authors, Prof Chris Lord, a professor of cancer genomics at the ICR, said these early signs were "very promising", adding that it was unusual in phase one trials to see a clinical response.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-53137328

Looks like there's at least one clinical trial testing this drug with bc: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04052555

I don't see where it says that breast cancer is excluded. Here's the only reference I see to BC:

I hope that my cutting and pasting works!

Whereas the traditional approach to cancer treatment has been to categorise it by tumour site - breast cancer, lung cancer and so on - the precision-medicine approach targets the genetic abnormality in the tumour, regardless of where it is.

joynerL

“the precision-medicine approach targets the genetic abnormality in the tumour, regardless of where it is.“

I wish more doctors would sign into this philosophy but they still go by standard of care in my experience even at MDACC.

I know we can ask for expanded access or compassionate right to try which I may have to do with my Neuroendocrine features. Right now so many centers will not include me in Neuroendocrine drug trials or even Neuroendocrine standard of care because it is breast cancer. Sarah Cannon cancer institute in Nashville said I don’t qualify for their breast trials because of the Neuroendocrine! Arggggggg

i asked about the MATCH trial and my MO said that is in their phase 1 department. I met with a phase 1 doc along time ago and they have not sent me a single trial to even look at.

I talked to the RACHEL trial coordinator ( Bintrafusp Alfa + radiation NCT03524170)BTW- She said early results are not good but a new one should follow this one that looks more promising. I ran a bunch of trials by her that listed MDACC as a trial site. She told me they were all in the phase 1 department not breast! 🙄🤪

So I continue to check here and compile my Trial list. thankfully my current line is working but it's only a matter of time as we all know.

Sorry for the rant.

Dee

Sorry for my delay in answering. Under NCT04052555 in the Exclution section the 5th dot says metastatic disease. So maybe it’s just for BC and not MBC

Here are two new articles on MBC from Practice Update:

Cabazitaxel as Second-Line in Patients With HER2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer Previously Treated With Taxanes

ctDNA Markers of Progression in Advanced Breast Cancer Treated With Fulvestrant With or Without Palbociclib

Joyner

I’m so excited you posted that article about ablative radiation. I am sending it to both my MOs. Neither thought my SBRT to the single lung lesion would have much effect on OSR since there was no study. Now there is!!!

My RO was quick to say SBRT was feasible.She is fantastic and warned me that while she saw real benefit, there wasn’t a lot of long term data. I bet she already has a copy of this article to show to the MO community.

Thanks for posting.

Dee

Joyner, very interesting article on SABR. Thanks for posting!

Quoted by Dee above: "the precision-medicine approach targets the genetic abnormality in the tumour, regardless of where it is."

It is starting to happen. I am in a Phase 2 basket trial that is testing neratinib for tumors with ERBB2 mutations. The trial has arms for various types of cancer (including cervical, salivary gland, lung, bladder, breast), the common requirement being that they have an ERBB2 mutation or related EGFR exon 18 mutation.

P.S. It's working!

So happy to hear Shetland Pony!

Thanks Lumpie! That's interesting and hopefully successful. Would be great if we could figure out away to use the bodies natural defense system to kill cancer.

yay Shetland Pony- great news

Lumpie- hoping for good results!

I’ve been contacted to submit to a Neuroendocrine trial at UCSF -Keytruda with taxol or keytruda with Camptosar. I’m excited to be considered, but it would be too far from home for the number/ frequency of Infusions required. Still looking for something to put in my pocket should my current line fail.

Dee

A quick peek at "risk factors for incontinence" finds: BMI, smoking, and diabetes are among risk factors for incontinence-- these are also cancer higher-risk groups...

Lumpie - thanks for posting the incontinence associations with BC. It is so interesting the various associations with cancer with other medical problems. Does one suggest the other? Years ago, ong beore any BC, I complained about more frequent/urgent peeing issues. Assumptions were, well I'm getting older, perimenopausal etc, maybe the fibroids. Just wish there were better very early detection tests, long before any lump shows up