| A new breast cancer treatment drug that comes | | | | early. |
| from sea sponges has been found to extend the life | | | | Despite all this, during 2010 an estimated 207,000 |
| of breast cancer patients whose cancer recurred | | | | women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and |
| even after five rounds of chemo, by an average of | | | | though rarer, nearly 2,000 men. Earlier diagnosis and |
| 10 weeks. That might not sound like much, but in the | | | | better treatments are giving these patients the best |
| world of the seriously ill facing death, those extra | | | | chance yet of long-term survival. |
| days and weeks are beyond price. | | | | Still, almost a third will develop metastatic disease |
| Eribulin is a new compound discovered and developed | | | | that can't be cured with the treatments we have |
| by Eisai. It is naturally derived compound that came | | | | today. For these patients eribulin is another |
| from a marine sponge and is used as a chemo drug | | | | much-needed option. |
| that works against the scaffolding that protects | | | | The downside? |
| cancer cells, interfering with cell division and causing | | | | About 4% of those taking eribulin did develop a |
| the cells to die off instead. This approach is used by | | | | potentially life threatening condition known as febrile |
| older chemotherapy medications (taxanes) that work | | | | neutropenia that brings fever, infection and low white |
| on a different part of the scaffolding. | | | | blood cell count. This was about three times the rate |
| The study involved 762 breast cancer patients | | | | of women getting standard treatment. Overall, the |
| whose tumors had spread despite chemotherapy, | | | | rate of serious side effects was the same in both |
| two thirds of them took the experimental drug | | | | groups, affecting one in four of the women. |
| eribulin given in a two to five minute IV infusion on | | | | The more common side effects of eribulin are |
| day 1 and day 8 of a 21 day cycle. | | | | fatigue, weakness, low white blood cell counts, hair |
| The rest got whatever treatment (chemo, hormonal | | | | loss and nausea - familiar to most chemotherapy |
| or biological therapy) their oncologist thought best. | | | | patients today. |
| Sometimes this was another chemotherapy agent, in | | | | However, only 4.8% of women had to stop the |
| other cases only supportive care for pain and fatigue. | | | | treatment due to side effects. |
| Eribulin takers lived an average of about 13 months, | | | | If you're interested in eribulin, you need to talk with |
| and were 19% less likely to die. Their cancer stayed | | | | your oncologist. This may be one of the last |
| in control a bit longer - 3.7 months vs. 2.2 months. | | | | chemotherapy agents approved for breast cancer as |
| Tumors shrank by 30% (or more) in 12.2% of | | | | most of the newer drugs (Herceptin and Tykerb) |
| women taking the drug, vs. 4.7% of women in the | | | | work differently, targeting specific molecular defects |
| other group. | | | | that fuel some types of tumors. |
| After skin cancer, cancer of the breast is the most | | | | As a new breast cancer treatment, Eribulin has |
| common cancer in U.S. women though rates have | | | | gotten a priority review for approval by the FDA, |
| fallen in recent years. Women fear it, and we're | | | | putting the medication on the fast track to approval |
| encouraged to do monthly self exams and undergo | | | | within just 6 months compared to the standard ten |
| annual screenings in an effort to detect such cancers | | | | months. |