Patients with triple negative breast cancer usually have poor prognosis, but a new drug might soon be available to improve the survival in these patients.
Mid-stage study results presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology congress indicated that cetuximab(Erbitux) in combination with cisplatin, significantly reduced the risk of disease progression in women with metastatic triple negative breast cancer, compared with cisplatin alone.
In the trial, which included 173 women with metastatic triple negative breast cancer, the use of cetuximab more than doubled the median time before the patients’ disease progressed when compared with cisplatin alone (3.7 months versus 1.5 months).
In addition, more patients in the cetuximab group experienced a tumor response than patients who received chemotherapy alone (20 percent in the cetuximab group versus with 10 percent in patients with cisplatin alone).
This study suggested that cetuximab or other anti-EGFR agents might have a role in triple negative breast cancer.
Source: Ann Oncol. 2010 Oct 13
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