Friday, December 7, 2012

SABSC: TNBC disease-free survival at 87 percent


Some 87 percent of TNBC patients with stages 1, 2, and 3 triple-negative breast cancer treated with current chemotherapy survived disease-free, according to the BEATRICE phase III trial presented today at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

The trial actually was designed to determine whether Avastin (bevacizumab) plus chemotherapy was more effective than chemotherapy alone.  There was no significant statistical difference between the two groups. 

Such positive results are becoming common for TNBC, said Kent Osborne, M.D., director of the Dan L. Duncan Cancer and the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.  “We’re seeing this across the board.”
This is additional evidence that newer chemotherapy regimens, including taxanes, are effective against TNBC, said David Cameron, M.D., professor of oncology at Edinburgh University in Scotland and lead author of the paper. “It’s a result of triple-negative patients getting the highest standard of care.

All women enrolled in the study had three chemotherapy options:
• Taxanes alones (at least 4 cycles)
• Anthracyclines alone (at least 4 cycles)
•Anthracuclines plus taxane (3 to 4 cycles each)

The data have not yet been reported based on specific stages, so this average includes a broad range of patients.  Those with earlier stage disease will no doubt see even better results.  The results were reported at a median follow-up of 32 months.


Read more about TNBC in my book, Surviving Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

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