Latest news with #InstituteofCancerResearch
Western Telegraph
20 hours ago
- Health
- Western Telegraph
New drug can help stop certain breast cancer tumours early, trial shows
A trial called Serena-6 shows that camizestrant stops cancer cells from using hormones to grow, which helps patients stay well longer and delays the need for chemotherapy. It is the first worldwide study to show that using blood tests to find early signs of cancer resistance to treatment helps patients, scientists say. The study looked at patients who had hormone-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, which is about 70% of cases. The results of the Serena-6 trial represent more than a clinical milestone, they represent a transformational shift in how we approach precision medicine Professor Kristian Helin, Institute of Cancer Research Results showed patients given camizestrant reduced their chances of cancer progression by 56%, compared with just standard therapies. Doctors used a simple blood test to spot changes in the cancer's DNA that show whether current treatments might soon stop working. When they found these signs, some patients were given camizestrant, while others stayed on their usual treatment. Those on camizestrant had their cancer stay the same and not get worse for much longer, 16 months on average, compared with about nine months for the others. The drug was safe for most patients but 1% stopped taking it because of side effects. More than 3,000 patients from 23 countries took part in the study, which was funded by AstraZeneca and co-led by researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research in London. This study is a clear example of how blood tests are starting to transform cancer treatment Dr Catherine Elliott, Cancer Research UK Co-principal investigator Professor Nick Turner, group leader in molecular oncology at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said the drug is 'a pivotal moment in breast cancer care'. Professor Kristian Helin, chief executive of The Institute of Cancer Research said: 'The results of the Serena-6 trial represent more than a clinical milestone, they represent a transformational shift in how we approach precision medicine.' About 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year and 11,500 will die from the disease, The Institute of Cancer Research said. The Serena-6 trial results were to be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago on Sunday. Dr Catherine Elliott, director of research at Cancer Research UK, said: 'This study is a clear example of how blood tests are starting to transform cancer treatment. 'By tracking tiny traces of tumour DNA in the blood, researchers were able to spot early signs of treatment resistance and switch therapies before cancer had a chance to grow. 'It shows how circulating tumour DNA, or ctDNA, could help doctors make smarter, more timely treatment decisions. 'This approach could become an important part of how we personalise care for people with advanced breast cancer.'
Sky News
20 hours ago
- Business
- Sky News
'Transformational' new drug could stop breast cancer tumours before they grow, trial finds
A new drug could stop some breast cancer tumours from using hormones to grow, a trial has found. Results from the Serena-6 trial, carried out with the Institute of Cancer Research in London, suggest that using camizestrant could help patients stay well longer and delay the need for chemotherapy. According to Cancer Research UK, the drug works by blocking oestrogen from getting into the breast cancer cell, which researchers hope can then stop or slow the growth of cancer. Breast cancer patients given the drug in the trial reduced their chances of the disease progressing by 52% compared to standard therapies. Professor Kristian Helin, chief executive of the Institute of Cancer Research, said the results "represent more than a clinical milestone, they represent a transformational shift in how we approach precision medicine". Co-principal investigator Professor Nick Turner also called the development of the drug "a pivotal moment in breast cancer care". 1:48 The study, funded by AstraZeneca, looked at patients with hormone-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer - about 70% of cases. More than 3,000 patients from 23 countries took part in phase three of the trial, which saw doctors use blood tests to detect changes in the cancer's DNA to see which treatments were ineffective. For those taking camizestrant, their cancer stabilised for around 16 months on average, compared with about nine months for other treatments. However, 1% of patients taking the new drug stopped taking it because of side effects. Further results from the Serena-6 trial will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago on Sunday. Cancer Research UK reports that breast cancer is the most common type of the disease, with around 56,400 women and around 390 men diagnosed in the UK each year. The trial was also the first worldwide study to show that using blood tests to find early signs of cancer resistance to treatment helps patients. Dr Catherine Elliott, director of research at Cancer Research UK, praised the breakthrough as a "clear example of how blood tests are starting to transform cancer treatment". "By tracking tiny traces of tumour DNA in the blood, researchers were able to spot early signs of treatment resistance and switch therapies before cancer had a chance to grow," she added. "It shows how circulating tumour DNA, or ctDNA, could help doctors make smarter, more timely treatment decisions. "This approach could become an important part of how we personalise care for people with advanced breast cancer."
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Breakthrough breast cancer treatment could help 1,000 women a year
A new triple-drug treatment for aggressive advanced breast cancer can cut deaths by a third, a major trial has found. The international research used liquid biopsies – described as the 'golden key' to unlocking precision medicines – that identified suitable patients. All were suffering from one of the most common forms of breast cancer, which accounts for seven in 10 cases, and had a common mutation which makes it more deadly and aggressive. The three-drug therapy comprises two targeted drugs – palbociclib, a type of cancer growth blocker, and a new drug called inavolisib, which blocks the activity of the PI3K protein – as well as the hormone therapy fulvestrant. Until now, treatment options for such patients have been limited. The trial involving the Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust enrolled 325 patients from 28 countries, including the UK. In all cases, cancer had spread or returned after hormone therapy and for those who had not yet received systemic treatment for metastatic disease. Of the total, 161 were given the three-drug combination. The placebo group, which included 164 patients, was given a dummy pill plus palbociclib and fulvestrant. The study found the median overall survival in the inavolisib group was 34 months, compared with 27 months in the placebo group. The therapy was far more likely to result in significant shrinkage of tumours. In total, 62.7 per cent of patients in the inavolisib group saw their tumours shrink by more than 30 per cent, compared with 28 per cent in the placebo group. The randomised, double blind trial also showed that the new combination delayed the progression of the disease by 17.2 months, on average, compared with 7.3 months in the control group. Women taking inavolisib were able to delay subsequent chemotherapy treatment by almost two years longer than the patients in the control group. Around 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year, and 11,500 will die from the disease. The study involved women with one of the most common types of disease, who had a mutation which is more aggressive and deadly. Experts said around 1,000 women a year could be helped by the drug combination. The study, funded by pharmaceutical company Roche, which manufactures inavolisib, was presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago and simultaneously published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Lead author Nick Turner, professor of molecular oncology at the Institute of Cancer Research and consultant medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said the therapy 'not only helped patients live longer, but it more than doubled the time before their cancer progressed or worsened. 'It also gave them more time before needing subsequent chemotherapy, which we know is something that patients really fear and want to delay for as long as possible,' he said. The oncologist said he hoped the triple therapy would become the standard of care for women who can benefit. Previous trial results led the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to grant 'breakthrough therapy' designation for inavolisib in May 2024 with costs of around $23,000 (£17,000) monthly. It has yet to be licensed in the UK. Professor Kristian Helin, chief executive of the Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: 'This research demonstrates how this triple combination approach, effectively shuts down cancer's escape routes, giving people with metastatic breast cancer the opportunity to live well for longer.' Dr Nisharnthi Duggan, research information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: 'These results are really positive news for people living with a type of hard-to-treat breast cancer. The trial showed that adding inavolisib to targeted treatment plans improved survival. On top of this, it also delayed the progression of people's cancer and the need for chemotherapy, which could improve quality of life. 'We hope that more research like this will help to give people kinder cancer treatment options, and more time with their loved ones.'
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
‘Breakthrough' breast cancer treatment can help women live longer
A 'breakthrough' new three-drug combination offers hope for women battling an aggressive form of breast cancer, potentially extending their lives and delaying the need for chemotherapy, according to new research. Experts suggest the treatment could become the "new go-to option" for individuals with PIK3CA-mutated hormone receptor positive (HR+) human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) breast cancer, a condition where a mutation in the PIK3CA gene leads to uncontrolled cell division. The findings come from the INAVO120 study, led by researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. The results, which included 325 patients from 28 countries, were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago. More than half had metastatic breast cancer that had spread to three or more organs and the majority had already had chemotherapy. Researchers used a blood test known as a liquid biopsy, which detects tumour DNA in the blood, to test for the PIK3CA mutation. Of the total, 161 were given a three-drug combination comprising two targeted drugs – palbociclib, a type of cancer growth blocker, and a new drug called inavolisib, which blocks the activity of the PI3K protein – as well as the hormone therapy fulvestrant. The placebo group, which included 164 patients, was given a dummy pill plus palbociclib and fulvestrant. The study found the median overall survival in the inavolisib group was 34 months, compared with 27 months in the placebo group. The three-drug therapy also delayed disease progression by 17.2 months, compared with 7.3 months in the placebo group, with patients also able to delay chemotherapy treatment by almost two years longer. The latest results come after previous analysis of the study, published in October, showed the three-drug therapy delayed disease progression by an average of 15 months compared with 7.3 months in the placebo group. Lead author Nick Turner, a professor of molecular oncology at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and consultant medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'The key findings from this study showed that the inavolisib-based therapy not only helped patients live longer but it more than doubled the time before their cancer progressed or worsened. 'It also gave them more time before needing subsequent chemotherapy which we know is something that patients really fear and want to delay for as long as possible. 'These results give us confidence that this treatment could become the new go-to option for patients who have HR+, HER2- breast cancer with a PIK3CA mutation, as it has shown significant improvements in both survival and quality of life.' It is estimated that about 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year, some 70% of whom will have HR+, HER2- breast cancer. PIK3CA mutations are found in 35-40% of HR+ breast cancers. The three-drug therapy of inavolisib, palbociclib and fulvestrant is not approved in the UK. However, the combination of palbociclib and fulvestrant has been available as an option for patients with certain types of breast cancer on the NHS since 2022. Prof Kristian Helin, chief executive of The Institute of Cancer Research, London, added: 'If we are to continue improving cancer survival rates, we need to tackle treatment resistance head on. 'This research demonstrates how this triple combination approach effectively shuts down cancer's escape routes, giving people with metastatic breast cancer the opportunity to live well for longer. 'One of the challenges with combination therapies is ensuring the right drug dosages and understanding their individual effects. 'It is extremely encouraging that this study not only demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach but also shows that the therapy was generally well tolerated by patients.' Reacting to the findings, Dr Simon Vincent, director of research, support and influencing at Breast Cancer Now, said: 'This is a significant breakthrough and we're proud that it builds on a series of discoveries that our funded scientists have been making at the Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, since it opened 25 years ago. 'We now hope to see this new combination therapy can be licensed by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency) and assessed by Nice (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) and the Scottish Medicine Council as soon as possible so that it can reach the NHS patients who could benefit from it.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Three-drug therapy helps women with aggressive breast cancer live longer
A new three-drug combination could help women with a common form of aggressive breast cancer live longer, research suggests. The treatment could also delay the need for gruelling chemotherapy, according to a trial. Researchers are hopeful the combination could become the 'new go-to option' for women with PIK3CA-mutated hormone receptor positive (HR+) human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) breast cancer. This mutation in the PIK3CA gene causes cells to divide and replicate uncontrollably. The final results from the INAVO120 study, led by experts at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago. The trial included 325 patients from across 28 countries. More than half had metastatic breast cancer that had spread to three or more organs and the majority had already had chemotherapy. Researchers used a blood test known as a liquid biopsy, which detects tumour DNA in the blood, to test for the PIK3CA mutation. Of the total, 161 were given a three-drug combination comprising two targeted drugs – palbociclib, a type of cancer growth blocker, and a new drug called inavolisib, which blocks the activity of the PI3K protein – as well as the hormone therapy fulvestrant. The placebo group, which included 164 patients, was given a dummy pill plus palbociclib and fulvestrant. The study found the median overall survival in the inavolisib group was 34 months, compared with 27 months in the placebo group. The three-drug therapy also delayed disease progression by 17.2 months, compared with 7.3 months in the placebo group, with patients also able to delay chemotherapy treatment by almost two years longer. The latest results come after previous analysis of the study, published in October, showed the three-drug therapy delayed disease progression by an average of 15 months compared with 7.3 months in the placebo group. Lead author Nick Turner, a professor of molecular oncology at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and consultant medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'The key findings from this study showed that the inavolisib-based therapy not only helped patients live longer but it more than doubled the time before their cancer progressed or worsened. 'It also gave them more time before needing subsequent chemotherapy which we know is something that patients really fear and want to delay for as long as possible. 'These results give us confidence that this treatment could become the new go-to option for patients who have HR+, HER2- breast cancer with a PIK3CA mutation, as it has shown significant improvements in both survival and quality of life.' It is estimated that about 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year, some 70% of whom will have HR+, HER2- breast cancer. PIK3CA mutations are found in 35-40% of HR+ breast cancers. The three-drug therapy of inavolisib, palbociclib and fulvestrant is not approved in the UK. However, the combination of palbociclib and fulvestrant has been available as an option for patients with certain types of breast cancer on the NHS since 2022. Prof Kristian Helin, chief executive of The Institute of Cancer Research, London, added: 'If we are to continue improving cancer survival rates, we need to tackle treatment resistance head on. 'This research demonstrates how this triple combination approach effectively shuts down cancer's escape routes, giving people with metastatic breast cancer the opportunity to live well for longer. 'One of the challenges with combination therapies is ensuring the right drug dosages and understanding their individual effects. 'It is extremely encouraging that this study not only demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach but also shows that the therapy was generally well tolerated by patients.' Reacting to the findings, Dr Simon Vincent, director of research, support and influencing at Breast Cancer Now, said: 'This is a significant breakthrough and we're proud that it builds on a series of discoveries that our funded scientists have been making at the Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, since it opened 25 years ago. 'We now hope to see this new combination therapy can be licensed by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency) and assessed by Nice (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) and the Scottish Medicine Council as soon as possible so that it can reach the NHS patients who could benefit from it.'
