PET Scans Can Help Breast Cancer Patients to Avoid Chemotherapy

Posted by PET-CT Las Colinas on July 3rd, 2019

Several women with breast cancer are known to have tumor cells with a mutation. The mutations produce HER2 protein in excess, fueling the growth of cancer. The standard treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer includes a combination approach of surgery and a combination of antibody therapy to prevent the HER2 gene from fueling the growth of cancer cells. Chemotherapy is also used to kill the cancer cells directly.

In a definitive study, positron emission tomography (PET) scans could help breast cancer patients avoid chemotherapy. The scan identified a biomarker that can accurately predict HER2-positive patients who can receive targeted therapy.

The study was conducted to find ways to provide individualized therapy and minimize toxicity when treating patients. Researchers wanted to evaluate whether PET scan images from the first stages of targeted therapy can determine which patient’s tumor is going to completely disappear after HER2 targeted treatment.

During the study:

  • HER-2 positive breast cancer women with stage II or III estrogen receptor (ER)-negative were subjected to PET scans that use sugar uptake detecting tracers. This was after the patients took the first four cycles of trastuzumab and pertuzumab without chemotherapy. Both Pertuzumab and trastuzumab are monoclonal antibodies that target proteins on HER2-positive cancer cells. They are used in combination with chemotherapy to treat HER-2positive breast cancers.
  • Two weeks after administering treatment, the researchers could predict the response by patient to HER2-targeted therapy without the need for chemotherapy. A predictive biomarker for early response assessment was identified.

The study results can help to advance precision medicine options for women with breast cancer. With low sugar uptake after two weeks, antibody therapy alone will induce complete response and save the patients from the toxic effects of chemotherapy.

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PET / CT of Las Colinas was developed with both patients and physicians in mind and our services have been used for various types of disease; primarily in detecting, staging and monitoring cancer, but also in heart disease and brain disorders.

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PET-CT Las Colinas

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PET-CT Las Colinas
Joined: December 30th, 2017
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