Breast Cancer Test Shows Promise
Written By: Charlene Laino, WebMD Medical News
Print
Email
Published - Sep 16, 2006
A test that measures a protein involved in tumor suppression may someday spare thousands of women from the pain and misery of unnecessary chemotherapy, researchers report.
In a study of more than 2,000 women with breast cancerbreast cancer, the test also identified those women for whom chemotherapy is most likely to help, says researcher A. Raymond Frackelton Jr., PhD, a staff scientist at Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence, R.I., and vice president of research at Catalyst Oncology, which is marketing the test.
The test, called OncoPlan, is already being used to predict disease aggressiveness. The new findings suggest the test "will also help to ensure that women receive the most beneficial therapies," he tells WebMD.
How Tumor Cells Thrive
The new research, presented here at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, involved 2,380 women who were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, 717 of whom received chemotherapy as part of their initial treatment.
All were given the new test, which measures the so-called p66 Shc protein in tumor cells which works to inhibit pathways involved in the development of aggressive cancer.
What this means, Frackelton says, is that tumor cells are better able to thrive and survive if p66 Shc levels are low.
Women With Low p66 Levels Benefit Most
In the study, the 60% of women classified as being at high risk of cancer recurrence due to low levels of p66 Shc were strongly protected by chemotherapy, with the drugs cutting in half their risk of relapsing and dying.
Conversely, among the 40% of women classified as being at low risk of recurrence due to high levels of p66 Shc, chemotherapy appeared to be a hazard.
All that is required for the test is a small slice of the tumor from a biopsy or surgical specimen. Len Lichtenfeld, MD, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, says the test shows promise. However, "the predictive ability is not yet sufficient that oncologists would make a decision on whether or not to give chemotherapy based on the results," he says. "Further study is warranted."
Frackelton agrees, and says the company plans further testing to validate the results before marketing it for this use.
Protective Breast Formula from Enzymatic Therapy
Protective Breast Formula™ combines seven natural ingredients that have been clinically studied and proven to promote breast health. This product was developed in conjunction with Dr. Christine Horner, breast health expert and author of Waking the Warrior Goddess. Unlike many breast health formulas, Protective Breast covers the 5 key functional areas that impact breast health including hormone balance, immune system support, detoxification, defense against free radical damage and balancing the body’s natural inflammatory response. This is a landmark product combining comprehensive scope and therapeutic potency in a form that is easy to incorporate into daily life .
Click Here For Enzymatic Therapy Protective Breast Formula