The modern advancements in the medical industry also bring new breakthroughs in cancer treatment, from the initial screenings to the final treatment. In that respect, one of the most concerning health issues for women, breast cancer, shows significant improvement when it comes to the patient’s recovery and care itself. As the survival rates of breast cancer patients become higher, every woman should inform herself about the latest breast cancer treatment discoveries. Regardless of whether you are or aren’t personally affected by this illness, knowledge and understanding of it can make a huge difference for your own or your loved one’s long-term wellbeing.
Cancer Breakthrough in Medical Oncology Reduces Cancer Recurrence
One of the latest breast cancer treatment breakthroughs involves the increasing number of FDA-approved drugs that were created to treat breast cancer. For instance, the drug called Enhertu is meant to drastically reduce the recurrence of cancer in patients suffering from HER2-positive breast cancer. This extremely aggressive cancer inflicts up to 20% of patients.
The amazing truth is that we are very close to making HER2-positive breast cancer into a chronic illness while just 20 years ago, this particular type of cancer was considered to be the absolute worst scenario.
Essentially, when cancer cells contain really high HER2 protein levels that further promote the growth of the cancer cells, breast cancer is diagnosed as HER2-positive. The common treatment so far has involved the combination of chemotherapy and targeted HER2 antibodies.
This particular treatment was known to boost survival rates for five years and more. However, about a half of treated patients would need another treatment just about 18 months after the first one. In these cases, the patients would be given a drug meant to stop the progression of cancer, but this was only effective for the next six to nine months.
However, the breakthrough cancer treatment medication Enhertu that contains trastuzumab deruxtecan, is looking to be approved as a second-line treatment. Compared to the previous one, this treatment can stop the progression of cancer for many more months. So far, women who received this treatment haven’t noted a recurrence in more than two years.
FDA Approves Second PARP Inhibitor
After going through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, the latest breast cancer treatment involves taking the FDA-approved medicine daily for patients with genetic mutations, namely BRCA1 or BRCA2. The name of the drug is Lynpanza, containing olaparib, which can significantly reduce the possibility of cancer recurrence, and is referred to as a poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor.
Almost 5% of patients diagnosed with breast cancer in the US only were found to have BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. These two genes help the DNA repair by producing the right proteins. However, when the mutation in these genes occurs, the risk of cancer also grows. As such, BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations can end up turning healthy into cancerous cells. This is where the mentioned breakthrough cancer treatment PARP inhibitor can help stop the cancer cells’ replication and repair.
It’s alarming that many people go from day to day without even being aware of having these genetic mutations. This is due to the fact that genetic testing is still not a common practice. But, as breakthroughs in cancer treatment and medicine in general increase, it’s expected for genetic testing to gain more importance, too.
Cancer Breakthrough in Radiation Calls for a Larger Dose
Until recently, patients who had a smaller tumor, less aggressive, and could be removed with surgery, have also gone through breast radiation for about five to six weeks.
The new breast cancer treatment breakthrough allows the patients to get only one larger radiation dose during the surgery. Known as intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT), the treatment is a great option for people who are still in the early breast cancer stages and the risk of cancer recurrence is rather low.
Thanks to IORT, patients can save a lot of time by not having to go to the clinic continuously as well as minimize the stress if they’re single parents or don’t get paid time off from work.
Cancer Breakthrough in Surgery Brings Lymph Node Transplants
People affected by breast cancer often experience its spread to their lymph nodes. This is why most patients who go through a surgical cancer removal also get the underarm lymph node removed for further examination. If the results show the presence of cancer cells, it might be necessary to remove more lymph nodes as well.
The new breast cancer treatment breakthrough makes it possible to take healthy lymph nodes in the body and transfer them into the problematic arm. This prevents swelling by draining the fluid properly. Sadly, this process is not without consequences and often results in arm swelling due to the buildup of fluid, known as lymphedema.
Better Accuracy Means Fewer Surgeries
The method involves the wire insertion into the breast, guided by imaging tech to pinpoint the problematic tissue. When the doctor cannot feel the abnormal breast tissue even though it’s visible in a mammogram, a radiologist uses the so-called wire localization in order to find the exact abnormal area. After that, usually the next day, the tissue gets removed.
Aside from being rather uncomfortable and painful, wire localization is not all that accurate as the wire itself can move before the time for surgery comes.
Breakthrough cancer treatment involves the process of magnetic seed localization, also referred to as Magseed. A radiologist uses imaging as a guide and proceeds to insert a tiny magnet into the breast. This magnet won’t move and it’s also easily detected with the right tool. This method can pinpoint cancer-affected tissue even days before it’s time for its removal.
As a new breast cancer treatment breakthrough, Magseed has come like true stress and anxiety relief as there’s no protruding like in the case of wire or unpleasant surprises due to strange movement. This also allows the surgeon to eliminate every bit of the cancerous tissue, diminishing the need for another surgery.
This new tech is also effective when it comes to identifying cancerous lymph nodes, which means that fewer lymph nodes get removed in the first place. Such practice is considerably more acceptable in regards to the proper functioning of the lymphatic system.
Finding out that you have breast cancer is bad news, but thanks to the breakthroughs in cancer treatment, there are more options, better survival rates, and considerably higher chances of complete recovery and fulfilled life afterward. At Breast Care Center, you can count on the highest-standard, latest breast cancer treatment in Miami that will suit you and your body the best. But we also want to stress just how important early discovery is. Regular breast screenings and checkups are crucial for giving you some peace of mind as well as nipping life-threatening diseases in the bud.
