Breast cancer drugs shrink tumours in 11 days

A breast cancer treatment that appears to shrink or eliminate tumours in 11 days could be available within a relatively short timeframe to women with a form of cancer that has a poor prognosis, according to the Irish Cancer Society.

Researchers in a UK clinical trial have discovered that combining two drugs — Tyverb (lapatinib) and Herceptin (trastuzumab) — and giving them to women before surgery could lead to tumours shrinking significantly or even disappearing.

It could potentially eliminate the need for surgery and even chemotherapy if patients are given the drugs immediately after diagnosis.