On the occasion of the new publication of his book “Breast cancer, getting information to treat yourself”, published by Doctor Lemoine, Professor Gilles Freyer looks back on the advances in the treatment of breast cancer in 2022.
- According to statistics, 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime.
- Breast cancer detected early enough is cured in 90% of cases.
- Better still, “significant progress has been made in the field of immunotherapy for metastatic tumors, but also for tumors at the local stage before surgery”, says Professor Gilles Freyer.
2022 is “a year of positive confirmation” in advances in breast cancer treatment, says Professor Gilles Freyer, head of the oncology department at the Hospices Civils de Lyon. “That is to say, there are important advances that have been made in the field of immunotherapy for metastatic tumors, but also for tumors at the local stage before surgery.”
“Immunotherapy is effective and will cure an increasing number of patients”
“And it is confirmed that immunotherapy is effective and will cure an increasing number of patients, especially with triple negative cancers, then the arrival of drug-conjugated antibodies, with a flagship molecule, called trastuzumab deruxtecan , which is incredibly effective in several different areas, not just on HER2-overexpressed tumors, he continues. And finally, it is confirmation of the fact that in a metastatic situation, new hormonal therapies, in particular CDK4/6 inhibitors, improve the overall survival of patients, and very significantly.”
Trastuzumab deruxtecan: a “fascinating” molecule to treat HER2 breast cancer
According to the specialist, two major advances should be highlighted in this year 2022. “The first would be the arrival of a molecule, which I personally find fascinating, which is called trastuzumab deruxtecan. This molecule will target HER2 with chemotherapy molecules that are attached to an antibody specific for HER2. All of this enters the cell and will preferentially destroy HER2 cancer cells while respecting healthy cells a little more. This effectiveness is described in all forms of breast cancer. Which wasn’t so obvious. We will also note a considerable improvement in therapeutic performance in patients.
“The second novelty is an immunotherapy, pembrolizumab, for triple-negative tumors at the local stage in combination with preoperative chemo. We improve not only the complete pathological response, that is to say the complete disappearance of the tumor, but also the risk of relapses.”
You can find the interview in pictures here:
Professor Gilles Freyer’s book, Breast cancer, information for treatmentpublished by Doctor Lemoine, is available via this link.
