The FDA, after a priority rapid review, approved a new drug for the treatment of advanced breast cancer. This drug will benefit women whose cancer has spread (metastasized) as well as women with localized breast tumors that have become resistant to standard treatments.
The study showed that the new drug, Ixempra, stopped tumor growth when combined with another standard anti-cancer drug treatment, Xeloda. Even when given alone, however, Ixempra shrunk breast tumors in 12% of the patients.
"Research has shown that advanced breast cancers that were not responding to standard chemotherapy treatments had a better response when Ixempra was used. Compared to Xeloda alone, giving Ixempra with Xeloda stopped the cancer’s progression longer,"
according to the breastcancer.org website.
A Reuter’s report said, “Among patients who took Ixempra with Xeloda in clinical trials, tumors either shrank or did not grow for an average of 5.8 months. That was compared to 4.2 months seen for patients taking only Xeloda.”
Some cancers become resistant to drug therapies, but the researchers think Xeloda may be effective against even resistance breast cancer cells. This offers doctors an additional pharmaceutical weapon to fight breast cancer in some women.
Links:
FDA, 2007. “FDA Approves Ixempra for Advanced Breast Cancer Patients,” US Food and Drug Admininstration press release. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01732.html
Breastcancer.org., 2007. “FDA Approves New Drug for Advanced Breast Cancer,” breastcancer.org website. http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/chemotherapy/new_research/20071017...
Additional links:
Vachani, C., 2007. Facts about Ixempra, OncoLink website:
http://www.oncolink.com/treatment/article.cfm?c=2&s=10&id=396
For patient information on Ixempra, see the Bistol-Myers Squibb web site: http://www.ixempra.com/