THE BREAST CANCER REVOLUTION
»»Breakthrough means thousands of Irish women will be spared chemo »»Study hailed as ‘biggest advance in a generation’ for fighting killer disease
THOUSANDS of women a year will be spared chemotherapy thanks to breakthrough breast cancer research.
The study, hailed as the biggest step forward in a generation, found the gruelling treatment can be avoided for 70% of patients.
Professor Maccon Keane, of University Hospital Galway, said: “This is a major advance in precision medicine for women.”
ALMOST three quarters of women with early-stage breast cancer could soon be able to avoid gruelling chemotherapy, a study has shown.
Around 690 women from Ireland participated in the ground-breaking 15-year medical trial.
The results showed chemo can be avoided for 70% of patients with the most common type of early stage breast cancer (Hr-positive, Her2-negative, node-negative).
The study, known as TAILORX, is one of the first large-scale trials to examine a methodology for personalising post-operative treatment.
It involved 10,273 women with early-stage breast cancer across 1,182 research units in Ireland, US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Peru.
Rachel Rawson, of Breast Cancer Care, said yesterday: “This life-changing breakthrough is absolutely wonderful news and could liberate thousands of women from the agony of chemotherapy.”
The Irish arm of the trial was conducted by Cancer Trials Ireland and led by Professor Maccon Keane, who is a Consultant Medical Oncologist at University Hospital Galway.
St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin had the second highest number of participating patients.
RESULT
Prof Keane said: “The TAILORX trial result is a major advance in precision medicine for women with hormone receptor positive node negative breast cancer.
“It confirms that using the 21-gene expression test on tumours we can identify which women will benefit from endocrine [hormone] therapy only, thus eliminating the need for them to have chemotherapy.
“It also helps identify those women with this disease who really do benefit from the chemotherapy they receive.
“Having the trial in Ireland has enabled more personalised treatment recommendations for women with this stage and type of breast cancer as we have had access to the test since 2011.
“Irish women contributed significantly to this trial and can be rightly proud of their input into improving care for future women with breast cancer.”
Cancer Trials Ireland’s Prof Bryan Hennessy said: “This is a globally important breast cancer trial.
“These results will inform clinical decision-making and in future many women with certain types of early-stage breast cancer can avoid chemotherapy, without impacting on the success of their treatment.
“We are delighted our research teams were able to play a leading role in this research.”
Irish women contributed significantly and can be proud of their input PROF MACCON KEANE DUBLIN YESTERDAY