Drug researchers from AstraZeneca PLC have reported that results from the late-stage trials of their drug Enhertu have been shown to improve the survival rates of their breast cancer patients.
Enhertu is the latest of a series of drugs developed to target the cancer-linked protein HER2. 1 in 5 breast cancer patients has HER2-producing genes, and these proteins can often cause a more aggressive and damaging form of cancer.
This is crucial news for the 1 in 8 women in the United States who will get some form of invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. While new screening processes and treatments have lowered the mortality of breast cancer patients, nearly 44,000 people died from breast cancer last year in the US alone.
The great news is that drugs like Enhertu specifically target these HER2 proteins, rather than indirectly destroying them in treatments such as chemotherapy. These studies at least suggest that HER2 treatments perform better than even a physician’s recommended form of chemotherapy treatment, and if these results could continue could cause a paradigm shift in breast cancer treatment.
If you or a loved one has questions or concerns in regards to breast cancer screening, testing, or treatment, please speak to a medical professional right away.
