Breakthrough in cancer treatment
In separate trials using new drugs to treat breast cancer, one study delayed the progress of the disease better than the best existing treatment and the other dramatically reduced the size of tumours which could see less women having to undergo mastectomies.
Both drugs beat tamoxifen, the current 'gold standard' treatment for the disease.
Chief executive of the Irish Clinical Oncology Research Group (ICORG) Dr Brian Moulton hailed both pieces of research as a major step in cancer treatment, which could help pave the way to a cure for the life-threatening disease.
"These results are encouraging to all involved in the research of new treatments for cancer and represent another significant step forward. Many experts have stated that the road to a cure will probably end up being a series of small steps, these would definitely appear to be such steps."
The two pieces of research were presented at the fourth European Breast Cancer Conference taking place in Hamburg yesterday.
In one trial, women who took exemestane a type of drug known as an aromatase inhibitor - survived for an average of 10.9 months without the disease progressing.
For those on tamoxifen the average progression-free survival was 6.7 months, research from the University Hospital Gasthuisberg in Leuven, Belgium, found.
Presented by oncologist Dr Robert Paridaens, who followed 382 patients from 25 countries, told delegates that exemestane was a good choice for first-line treatment in cancers that have spread and are responsive to hormone treatments.
Dr Moulton said he was particularly encouraged by these results because 107 Irish women are participating in a similar type study involving exemestane. He said the ICORG study results "would suggest that they are benefiting from this involvement".
Last week Cancer Research UK scientists also revealed a study showing that women who switched to exemestane after taking tamoxifen for more than two years were 32% less likely to see the disease recur.
In the other research published yesterday, a hormone-blocking drug, anastrozole, or Arimidex, reduced or completely shrunk breast tumours in 50% of women involved in a clinical trial.
It was also found to be more effective than tamoxifen in reducing the size of breast cancer tumours, which could save many breast cancer patients from undergoing a mastectomy.
The study was conducted by drug company AstraZeneca, which manufactures Arimidex.
The clinical trial involved 451 post-menopausal women with hormone-sensitive cancer, that had spread beyond the breast.
