Clinical Trials Underway at Fredericksburg Oncology
FREDERICKSBURG, Va., Jan. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Research to develop more effective treatments for triple negative breast cancer -- a difficult disease to cure -- could someday benefit all breast cancer patients, reports Dr. Frederick C. Tucker, Jr. of Fredericksburg Oncology.
"Understanding how triple negative cancers spread in the absence of normal growth factors may give us insight into how other types of breast cancer grow and spread even after treatment," Dr. Tucker explains.
Recent research has shown that a new class of drugs, PARP inhibitors, can be combined with chemotherapy to kill more triple negative breast cancer cells. Research also indicates that platinum compounds, a type of chemotherapy not typically prescribed for breast cancer, may be useful in treating triple negative disease.
Currently, two trials offered at Fredericksburg Oncology focus on triple negative disease.
- CALGB 40603: Pre-operative (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer involving platinum chemotherapy (carboplatin) and bevacizumab.
- NCCTG N0937: Platinum chemotherapy (Cisplatin) and brostacillin for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer
An estimated 15 percent of breast cancers are triple negative, meaning they do not have receptors for estrogen, progesterone, and for the growth factor receptor HER2. Breast cancer treatments such as Tamoxifen, Arimidex, Femara, and Herceptin which target these molecules are therefore not helpful against triple negative disease. Standard chemotherapies can be used in triple negative breast cancer, but they may not be as effective as they are for more common breast cancers.
For more information about clinical trials offered through Fredericksburg Oncology, visit http://fredericksburgoncology.com/wp/about-clinical-trials/. Email regarding clinical trials can be sent to [email protected] or call (540) 368-0500.
About Fredericksburg Oncology
Fredericksburg Oncology specializes in providing high quality treatment for the medical and emotional needs of cancer patients. Since 2006, the practice also has been committed to providing clinical research. It is located at 111 Park Hill Drive, Suite B, Fredericksburg, VA 22401 near Mary Washington Hospital. For more information call (540) 368-0500 or visit www.fredericksburgoncology.com.
Dr. Frederick C. Tucker, Jr. is board certified in oncology, internal medicine, and psychiatry. He also is a writer and speaker on cancer-related topics. To read Dr. Tucker's recent commentary, visit http://fredericksburgoncology.com/wp/topics/news/ or connect with him on Facebook.
SOURCE Fredericksburg Oncology