A Drug Combination can Shrink a Certain Breast Cancer Tumor in 11 Days

British researchers reported that there is a two-drug combo that can shrink certain breast cancer tumors on some women before they undergo chemotherapy or surgery.

The combination of lapatinib (Tykerb) and trastuzumab (Herceptin) is reportedly effective against a breast cancer called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive. The researcher said the after the diagnosis, the drug-combo shrank HER-2 positive tumors in less than two weeks. Some cases showed evidence that the cancers disappeared, according to US News.

"A combination of two anti-HER2 therapies, Tykerb and Herceptin, induce tumor regression or disappearance in 25 percent of HER2-positive cancers in 11 days," said lead researcher Dr. Nigel Bundred. He is a professor of surgical oncology at the University of Manchester in England.

"Instead of chemotherapy for six months and Herceptin for 12 months after surgery, it is likely that therapy and the duration of therapy can be tailored according to early responses," Bundred said.

Although, the drug-combo causes side-effects such as heart disease which is diagnosed to five percent of the patients; rashes and diarrhea, which are found to 25 percent. However, most insurance covered both drugs, said Dr. Eleonora Teplinsky, a medical oncologist with Northwell Health in Lake Success, New York.

The research was made to 257 women with operable with HER2-positive breast cancer from November 2010 to September 2015. They are subject to be treated either with trastuzumab, lapatinib or nothing for 11 days after being diagnosed but before surgery in a two-part trial, as reported by UPI.

The group of 130 women on the first part were given the drug combination and the data showed that the combo was so effective against the cancer. The second part was done to the rest of the women and they were given either trastuzumab, both drugs or nothing.

The researcher found that 11 percent of the women had their cancer disappeared, and the other 17 percent had their tumor shrank five millimeters smaller. However, more studies are needed to repeat the trial's result, but the researcher stated that the treatment could be more effective against more aggressive HER2-positive tumors and may pave the way to more personalized cancer treatment.