While no woman ever expects to be diagnosed with breast cancer, it is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women all over the world. For this reason, women should take steps to ensure breast cancer they develop is diagnosed as early as possible by obtaining regular mammograms and also performing breast cancer self-screenings on a regular basis.
In addition, you should inform yourself of the breast cancer treatments available today, so if you are ever diagnosed with this cancer type, you understand the treatments presented to you by your physician.
Read on to learn about three newer breast cancer treatments that every woman should learn about.
1. CDK4/6 Inhibitors
A new medication used to treat metastatic breast cancer, which is an advanced stage of breast cancer that has spread to other areas of the body, has now been developed. CDK4/6 inhibitor medications target specific proteins in breast cancer cells and prevent them from multiplying to potentially slow or even stop the growth of cancerous tumors.
The one disadvantage of this new breast cancer treatment is that it cannot be used to treat HER2-positive breast cancer. However, it is a treatment option for both hormone receptor (HR) positive and HER2-negative breast cancer types.
The three CDK4/6 inhibitor medications in use today include palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib. All three are available in a pill form that can be taken by mouth.
2. Antibody Drug Conjugate
While antibody therapy has been a breast cancer treatment option for years, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are newer breast cancer treatments. Traditional antibody therapy involves the administration of a medication that contains molecules that mimic natural immune system proteins. These molecules then attach to a specific target protein in the cancer cells to discourage their growth.
Antibody-drug conjugate therapy works in a similar way to antibody therapy. However, this drug contains not only the molecules that mimic immune system proteins but also chemotherapy drugs. When an antibody-drug conjugate medication is administered, the man-made antibodies first attach to proteins in the cancer cells, then the chemotherapy drug attached to each antibody destroys the protein to further encourage the destruction of the cancerous cells.
3. PARP inhibitors
Another new breast cancer medication type is the poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor. This drug targets specific proteins in the body that encourage the repair of cells that become damaged to prevent the repair of damaged cancer cells. While this new medication type can be used alone, it is also often used alongside other breast cancer treatments to potentially increase their effectiveness. PARP medications are typically available in pill form and are taken by mouth.
While not a treatment option for all breast cancer types as of yet, PARP inhibitors are often utilized in women with HER2-negative breast cancer and women with both secondary breast cancer and an altered BRCA gene.
New breast cancer treatments are being created at a rapid pace. Contact breast cancer treatment services to learn more.