Expedition Inspiration Fund for Breast Cancer Research hosted the 10th Annual Laura Evans Memorial Breast Cancer Symposium in Sun Valley, March 1 through 5. One of the highlights of the gathering of scientists, oncologists and researchers annually is the Open Forum, held this year on Thursday, March 2, in the Sun Valley Inn.
Entitled "Translating Science into Clinical Care for Breast Cancer," the forum was hosted by Dr. Julie Gralow, chairwoman of EI's Medical Board. The first speaker, Dr. Edith Perez, an oncologist at the Mayo Clinic and co-director of the Multidisciplinary Breast Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., delivered the best news.
Announced in April 2005, the largest improvement seen in more than 30 years in the treatment of breast cancer is the result of two separate large clinical trials that joined forces. The results show that a monoclonal antibody, trastuzumab (Herceptin), given with chemotherapy reduced by 52 percent recurrence of breast cancer in women with "HER-2 positive invasive disease."
Perez was the lead investigator on the breakthrough trial.
"Women with HER-2 positive breast cancer have a high risk of the cancer returning and of dying from breast cancer. The intervention of Herceptin can essentially change the natural history of the disease," she said. "The data was so magnificent."
The trial began about 15 years ago, when the lab started taking breast cancer specimens and testing them for the HER-2 gene. They found that women with this gene did poorly, since HER-2 cells have an abnormally high number of proteins and are found on the membrane of the cell.
"Instead of giving therapy that attacks all organs, this drug just attacks the HER-2 protein," Perez said. "It's the concept of the magic bullet. Find what's going wrong that's causing the cancer and go for it.
"It's very important people understand. If you have breast cancer, you must be tested for this HER-2 cell. The treatment of breast cancer is changed right now because of the results of this study. We have not stopped our search, because we would like to cure breast cancer in our lifetime. But there's a high probability that with this therapy, we're going to cure a lot of women."
Dr. Edith Perez and Dr. Peggy Porter discuss issues with an Open Forum attendee after the formal presentation.
