A new breast cancer relapse therapy. Excellent news comes from a study carried out on abemaciclib, a molecule that, together with hormone therapy, is capable of reducing the risk of relapse of the breast cancer. This is compared to traditional therapy, generally used for breast cancer. The results were published in the scientific journal “Annals of Oncology“. The study also had an important space within the Virtual Plenary of Esmo, the European society of medical oncology.
Breast cancer relapse therapy: data on the use of abemaciclib with endocrinotherapy
The new data on abemaciclib mainly focused on women with early-stage breast cancer, but with a high risk of relapse, following surgery and with positive hormone receptors (HR + and HER2-). The researchers were able to observe these patients for a period of 27 months. Here then after more than two years the new molecule, already approved by the Food and Drug Administration, confirms its capabilities. The improvements are especially significant in reducing the risk of relapse in patients defined as high risk.
It also improves the survival rate
The concomitant use of abemaciclib and endocrine therapy, these improvements are measured in the order of 88%, five percentage points more than with endocrine therapy alone. The three-year survival rate improves by 5.4% in relation to the survival rate from relapse, new cancer or death.
Breast cancer relapse therapy: it also reduces the chances of metastasis by almost a third
Another important fact concerns the impact on metastases. The results of the study confirm that the simultaneous use of abemaciclib and hormone therapy reduces the chances of metastatic disease by 31.3%. The benefits remain even after the end of the treatment, which usually lasts after more than two years.
Therefore it can be said that the combination of the two therapies – the hormonal one and the one with abemaciclib – gives important improvements even after the end of the treatment. Almost all the patients involved in the study ended this treatment, confirming not only the efficacy but also the safety of the molecule.
Approval is awaited in Italy. In the United States it is already used
Recall that the Food and Drug Administration, the American drug agency, has already approved this molecule for the United States market. Now it is expected that Ema, the European drug agency, will also approve abemaciclib and that Aifa, the Italian drug agency, will implement the Ema directive as soon as possible.
It should be remembered that this molecule affects 65% of all cases of breast cancer. So a therapy that can affect this type of cancer is particularly important.