Herceptin boost to battle against breast cancer

A BREAST cancer wonder drug could eradicate tumours and reduce the need for mastectomies in half of all women suffering from the most severe form of the disease.

Herceptin became available in Ireland last year to treat the early stages of an aggressive form of breast cancer called HER2 which affects a third of all breast cancer patients, or almost 420 Irish women each year.

Research published this week shows the drug eradicates tumours in over half — 55% — of women suffering from inflammatory HER2 when it is used before chemotherapy.