Despite the fact that only about one out of every 100 women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime, a recent study shows that a woman with this type of disease will be at four times the risk of dying from the disease. Researchers are investigating ways to identify the genes that cause the disease and to find treatments that will prevent it from returning. Many women do not realize that they have the genetic makeup of this cancer, but they need to know it in order to find an effective treatment.
Researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine have developed a test that can tell whether a woman with triple-negative breast cancer will eventually experience a recurrence or stay disease-free. These findings will be presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium on December 13, 2019, the largest gathering of breast cancer researchers in the world. These results are promising and could be helpful for women facing this form of cancer. But a few other factors should be considered as well.
People with this type of breast cancer are more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier age than those without this type of disease. The majority of women diagnosed with this type of cancer are younger than 50 years old. The incidence of this type of breast cancer is three times higher among black and Hispanic women than in other races. The risk of developing this type of cancer increases if a woman has a mutation in the BRCA gene, which increases the risk for breast cancer.
If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, treatment options may vary. For instance, surgery will be the most common treatment for this type of cancer, but other treatments may be more effective, such as immunotherapy. If the cancer has spread to lymph nodes, radiation therapy may also be used. This method is similar to surgery but may be better for people with triple-negative breast cancer. During this process, the cancer cells are targeted by radiation, preventing their growth and spreading.
The good news is that the number of people with triple-negative breast cancer will live longer than 60 percent of those diagnosed with other forms of breast cancer. However, the poor prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer is still very low in comparison to other types. The good news is that new treatments are available that have the potential to change the treatment options for patients with this type of cancer. The researchers hope to develop a test that can provide personalized information about how many years they can expect to live after being diagnosed with this type of cancer.
The most promising treatments for this type of breast cancer are immunotherapy drugs, which are aimed at targeting cancer cells that have escaped the immune system. The latest developments in immunotherapy are a key part of treating triple-negative breast cancer. The next step is testing these drugs on patients with this type of cancer. A clinical trial of a specific drug, called IMpassion031, will be conducted at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sept. 19-21.
