Breast cancer study seeks aid

 

Antiangiogenesis: it’s a long word for starvation — in this case, the science of starving the nutrition supply to growing cancer cells in human bodies.

Central Coast Medical Oncology is issuing a call for volunteers with metastatic breast cancer to take part in a study of a new anti-cancer drug. The drug is being tested in conjunction with chemotherapy for its effectiveness in starving the blood nutrients needed for tumors to grow.

The study is being undertaken in partnership with UCLA, according to Allison Fernandez, RN, the study coordinator. “It’s complicated,” she said.

“The reason for women with breast cancer to go on the study is that it is altruistic. And it may prove to be of therapeutic value” to the study participants.

“It’s targeted therapy, designed to work on rapidly growing tumors. This works at the cell level,” she said.

 

“UCLA created a network of nurses to bring the research out of the main center. Having the research in the home town is very powerful. We have doctors who are very experienced in this kind of research, and the nurses are, as well.”

Robert Dichmann, M.D., the principal investigator for the study, added, “While breast cancer is treatable in its early stages, more than 40,000 Americans will die from the disease every year.

“We are pleased to offer patients the opportunity to participate in this study, which we hope will lead to more information for those with advanced breast cancer.”

 

In its statement seeking volunteers, the research project said:

“Vascular endothelial growth factor receptors … play a critical role in tumor growth and metastasis by promoting the growth of new blood vessels that supply nutrients to cancer cells and allowing for tumor expansion. Therapies that target the VEGFR pathway neutralize these receptors and thus suppress the main drivers of new blood vessel growth.”

 

Breast cancer is about 100 times more common in women than in men, and the incidence increases with age. Among other factors are race, with Caucasian women at slightly higher risk than African-American women; hormone replacement therapy, although five years after stopping the therapy the risk is reduced; first pregnancy at age 30 or older; consumption of two to five alcoholic drinks a day, and being overweight or obese, especially if the weight gain takes place during adulthood or after menopause.

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States. Approximately 240,510 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in the U.S. this year. Of these, 178,480 will be diagnosed with advanced (invasive) breast cancer, and 40,460 women will die from the disease.

 

Volunteers who wish to take part in the study must be at least 18 years old and have a diagnosis of HER2 negative, locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer that has not yet been treated with chemotherapy.

Potential volunteers can call Fernandez at (805) 739-3780.