New Study on Advanced Breast Cancer

The Use of Capivasertib and Fulvestrant

New Study on Advanced Breast Cancer

Today, I want to talk about a new study that may be of interest to those dealing with advanced breast cancer. Researchers have investigated how the combination of Capivasertib and Fulvestrant medications affects treatment.

Key Information:

Approximately 70% of advanced breast cancers express hormone receptors (HR) but not HER2. Despite endocrine therapy using aromatase inhibitors with or without CDK4/6 inhibitors, many patients face tumor progression. One treatment option in this case is the drug Fulvestrant. Does the addition of Capivasertib to the therapy improve survival prognosis?

Most patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer develop resistance to endocrine therapy. According to the study initiators, the intracellular signaling pathway PI3K-AKT-PTEN plays an important role in this.

What you need to know:

  • The study was conducted among patients with hormone-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer.
  • Such patients are usually treated with hormonal therapy with an aromatase inhibitor and sometimes with a CDK4/6 inhibitor.
  • Researchers investigated whether adding Capivasertib to Fulvestrant would improve treatment outcomes.

Study Results:

  • Patients who took Capivasertib along with Fulvestrant showed improvement compared to those who received only Fulvestrant.
  • This improvement was particularly noticeable in patients with genetic alterations in the PI3K-AKT-PTEN signaling pathway.
  • Side effects such as rashes, diarrhea, nausea, and increased blood sugar levels were most commonly observed.

Importantly, this study shows that adding Capivasertib to Fulvestrant may help patients with certain types of breast cancer. However, it's always important to discuss treatment options with your doctor.

Stay healthy and take care of yourself!

Capivasertib:

  • Capivasertib is an inhibitor of the protein kinase AKT.
  • AKT plays an important role in regulating cell growth, survival, and metabolism and is often activated in cancer cells.
  • Capivasertib is designed to block AKT activity, thereby preventing the growth and proliferation of cancer cells.
  • This drug is in clinical trials and is being studied for the treatment of various types of cancer, including hormone-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer.

Fulvestrant:

  • Fulvestrant is an anti-estrogen medication used to treat hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women.
  • It works by blocking the action of estrogen on cancer cells, binding to estrogen receptors and preventing their activation.
  • Fulvestrant is often used in patients whose disease continues to progress after treatment with aromatase inhibitors.

Turner NC. et al. Capivasertib in Hormone Receptor-Positive Advanced Breast Cancer. N Engl J Med 2023; 388: 2058-2070.

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Dr. med. Sergej Popovich08.02.2024