Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive disease that often affects younger women.
It does not respond to hormone therapy, and treatment options are therefore limited.
For many patients, immunotherapy is not an option either.
Around 70 percent cannot receive this treatment and must instead rely on standard chemotherapy, which often has limited effectiveness, according to HealthDay.
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New method
A large international study published in Annals of Oncology has tested a new type of drug called datopotamab deruxtecan. It works differently from traditional chemotherapy.
The drug locates cancer cells by recognizing a specific protein on their surface.
It then delivers the medication directly into the cell. In this way, healthy cells are less affected.
Researchers have also found that the treatment is generally better tolerated.
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Some patients experienced side effects such as nausea and irritation in the mouth, but fewer had to discontinue treatment compared with chemotherapy.
Better results
The results from the study show a clear difference. Patients who received the new treatment lived an average of 10.8 months without the disease worsening.
This is nearly twice as long as with chemotherapy, where the figure was 5.6 months.
At the same time, tumors shrank in 63 percent of patients. By comparison, this applied to only 29 percent with standard treatment.
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Overall, the research suggests that this new therapy could become an important option for patients with triple-negative breast cancer, especially those who cannot receive immunotherapy.
Sources: HealthDay and Annals of Oncology.
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