A recent study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 67th Annual Scientific Session demonstrates how two drugs could be the answer to preventing heart problems in those suffering from breast cancer. While these drugs may not work for everyone, it’s still a huge relief for many.





“ This data is the crucial first step towards establishing a new standard of care to reduce the risk of cardiotoxicity for patients undergoing treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer,” said study chair Dr. Maya Guglin of the University of Kentucky’s Gill Heart & Vascular Institute. Herceptin first came about in 1998 as an approved breast cancer treatment. The problem with it is that as many as 1 in 4 women develop serious heart problems as a side effect. For that reason, many doctors began reducing the frequency of Herceptin treatments while others stopped using the drug altogether.

In the study chaired by Dr. Guglin, two classes of drugs were explored to see whether they could maintain a person’s cardiac function while undergoing chemotherapy. They are beta blockers and ACE inhibitors. The study looked at patients who were receiving Herceptin only treatments as well as those receiving combined treatments of Herceptin and another chemotherapy drug called doxorubicin. “Herceptin is arguably the most effective treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer,” states Guglin. “These patients are already anxious about their future. We don’t want to avoid this exceptionally effective treatment just because it might cause damage to the heart.”

Results from the study showed that those patients on Herceptin treatment only, received no help from the beta blockers and ACE inhibitors when it came to preserving ejection fraction. However, those who received the combined treatment showed a significant reduction in cardiotoxicity. “The data clearly demonstrated that for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer taking both doxorubicin and Herceptin, adding either an ACE inhibitor or a beta blocker to the treatment regimen can significantly offset the chance of heart problems,” said Guglin.





This is one of the latest studies to date on this particular topic and is one that’s funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). There’s no doubt that breast cancer can cause death. However, according to research, there’s more chance of a person suffering fatality from the result of a related heart disease problem.

“In the past few decades, we’ve made huge strides in successfully treating cancers that used to be very deadly for patients,” said the director of the NCI-designated UK Markey Cancer Center, Dr. Mark Evers. “But it’s important to also think about the patient’s future and to help them maintain the best possible quality of life. This study provides valuable information for oncologists who are treating patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, and may help shape the new standard of treatment for this cancer in years to come.”

While this study has proved to be very useful in offering clarity surrounding possible treatment options, there are still some questions that remain unanswered, and further research will need to be carried out before a new standard of care is introduced. But, as Guglin explains, one thing is for certain: “giving an ACE inhibitor or beta blocker to patients taking doxorubicin and Herceptin for HER2-positive breast cancer will significantly reduce the risk of cardiotoxic side effects.”





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