Posted: August 14th, 2022

Breast cancer and its latest developments

Breast cancer and its latest developments
Breast cancer is a common and potentially deadly disease that affects millions of women around the world. However, recent advances in research have brought new hope for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this condition. Here are some of the latest developments in breast cancer research that you should know about.

1. Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. It can either boost the natural defenses of the immune system or provide artificial antibodies that target specific cancer cells. Immunotherapy has shown promising results in some types of breast cancer, especially those that have high levels of a protein called PD-L1, which helps cancer cells evade the immune system. One example of an immunotherapy drug for breast cancer is atezolizumab, which blocks PD-L1 and allows the immune system to attack the cancer cells. Atezolizumab has been approved by the FDA for use in combination with chemotherapy for patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer, a subtype of breast cancer that is usually hard to treat.

2. Genetic testing: Genetic testing is a process that analyzes the DNA of a person to look for mutations or changes that may increase the risk of developing certain diseases, such as breast cancer. Some of the most well-known genes that are linked to breast cancer are BRCA1 and BRCA2, which normally help repair damaged DNA and prevent cancer. However, mutations in these genes can impair their function and increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancers. Genetic testing can help identify people who have inherited these mutations and offer them options for prevention and early detection, such as increased screening, prophylactic surgery or chemoprevention. Genetic testing can also help guide treatment decisions based on the specific characteristics of the tumor, such as its hormone receptor status, HER2 status and gene expression profile.

3. 3-D mammography: 3-D mammography, also known as breast tomosynthesis, is a new imaging technique that creates a three-dimensional picture of the breast using X-rays. Unlike conventional 2-D mammography, which produces a flat image of the breast, 3-D mammography allows the radiologist to see different layers of the breast tissue and detect any abnormalities more clearly. 3-D mammography has been shown to improve the accuracy of breast cancer detection, especially in women with dense breasts, and reduce the number of false-positive results that require further testing. 3-D mammography is currently being compared with 2-D mammography in a large-scale clinical trial called TMIST, which aims to determine whether 3-D mammography can reduce the number of advanced cancers detected in women screened for five years.

4. Targeted therapy: Targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances that specifically target the molecules involved in the growth and survival of cancer cells, without harming normal cells. Targeted therapy can be used alone or in combination with other treatments, such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy or immunotherapy. Some examples of targeted therapies for breast cancer are:

– Trastuzumab, pertuzumab and ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1), which target HER2, a protein that is overexpressed in about 20% of breast cancers and makes them grow faster and spread more easily.
– Palbociclib, ribociclib and abemaciclib, which target CDK4/6, enzymes that help control the cell cycle and are often overactive in hormone receptor-positive breast cancers.
– Olaparib and talazoparib, which target PARP, an enzyme that helps repair DNA damage and is more important for cancer cells that have BRCA mutations.
– Alpelisib, which targets PI3K, a protein that is involved in cell growth and survival and is often mutated in hormone receptor-positive breast cancers.

These targeted therapies have improved the outcomes for many patients with different subtypes of breast cancer by delaying disease progression, increasing survival rates and reducing side effects.

References:

: Advances in Breast Cancer Research – NCI – National Cancer Institute https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/research
: What’s New in Breast Cancer Research? | American Cancer Society https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/about/whats-new-in-breast-cancer-research.html
: Breast cancer | Five recent research breakthroughs https://www.worldwidecancerresearch.org/news-opinion/2021/october/five-recent-breast-cancer-breakthroughs/
: 4 Breakthroughs in Breast Cancer Treatment | Pfizer https://www.pfizer.com/news/articles/4_breakthroughs_in_breast_cancer_treatment

Order | Check Discount

Tags: Best Research Paper Topics for Examples, Dissertation Topics & Good Thesis Ideas, Research Titles Examples, Thesis and Dissertation Ideas for Research Topics in UK, Thesis Topics for Your Final Academic Project