70% of all breast cancers are hormone receptor positive (HR+) and HER2 receptor negative. These are tumors that can be cured, especially if the tumor is in its early stages. This helps keep women under control, who may be at greater risk of a tumor coming back.

“We are talking about Early stage breast cancer if no metastatic spread has taken place, i.e. no distant metastases are present,” he explains Lucia DelMastro, Full Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Genoa and Director of the Medical Oncology Clinic at the IRCCS San Martino Policlinico Hospital in Genoa. “In the initial stage of the tumor, after surgery, postoperative treatment, called adjuvant treatment, is decided based on a number of factors that help us understand the risk that these women could develop metastases.” About 15% of HR+/HER2 cancers have an increased risk of developing metastases, and continue to do so today We have a new therapy to reduce the risk of recurrence in these cases as well».

Breast cancer: New therapy reduces risk of recurrence by 35%

The new drug is called abemacicliband in combination with adjuvant endocrine therapy, reduces risk of recurrence by 35%. “Treatment with abemaciclib in combination with endocrine therapy has been shown to be effective
“Significantly reduce the risk of recurrence in patients with early-stage breast cancer but a high risk of disease recurrence,” confirmed Valentina GuarneriFull Professor of Medical Oncology and Director of the Technical School of Medical Oncology at the University of Padua.

“The fact that the risk of distant metastasis is reduced is an absolutely relevant aspect, since we know that the event of distant metastasis has the greatest impact on the prognosis of these patients.” So we expect that this treatment will be successful increase the proportion of recovered patients».

The last few decades have marked a profound shift in the diagnosis, care and treatment of breast cancer: just think of the possibility of access to programmed screening programs, advances in surgery and increasingly targeted therapies for the type of breast cancer, the type of breast cancer consider patient needs. Availability of abemaciclib as the first new therapy in combination with adjuvant endocrine therapy in almost two decades represents an important advance for the prospects of patients with high-risk HR+/HER2-EBC.