IRISH women with breast cancer will take part in several major international research trials this year. The studies involve a new anti cancer drug, Taxotere, which is causing excitement in the Oncology Unit at St Vincent's Hospital because it has been shown to prolong significantly the survival of patients with advanced breast cancers, as well as cancers of the head/neck, colon/rectum and lung.
Beginning in March, a two part international study including 2,400 patients from 20 countries around the world will be co chaired from St Vincent's Hospital, by Dr John Crown, consultant oncologist, with colleagues in Belgium. At the same time, Dr Crown will be chairing another important international study, the European Breast Cancer Dose Intensity Study (Ebdis).
Taxotere has already been shown to have a response rate of cup to 88 per cent when used in combination with other chemotherapy drugs in early breast cancer. It works by preventing cell division by essentially "freezing" the cancer cell's internal skeleton.
But what is even more encouraging is that Taxotere is also effective on advanced cancers, giving patients who have relapsed a far better chance at prolonged life. "Taxotere may be the most active chemotherapy agent we have ever seen for breast cancer," says Dr Crown.
Breast cancer which has spread to involve other parts of the body is a serious problem and chemotherapy has already proven effective in reducing symptoms and extending life. Historically, patients in this situation have been offered one kind of chemotherapy and if a relapse occurred, they were offered a second type. After that, chemotherapy was not as effective.
But Taxotere - and its cousin Taxol - offers new chances to these patients. For women who have previously been treated with adriamycin, for example, Taxotere can prolong survival in 50 per cent of cases. In women who have not had chemotherapy before, it prolongs survival in 60 per cent of cases.
The new studies will look at two areas. In breast cancer patients who have already seen their cancer spread to lymph glands, the trials will compare the best of Taxotere in combination with other, older drugs for an enhanced response. Secondly, the trials will test the effectiveness of giving Taxotere to patients who have had surgery for breast cancer and whose cancer is not yet advanced, but who may have a hidden number of breast cancer cells in the body.
The Ebdis trial, meanwhile, will compare the success of varying doses of Taxotere and adriarnycin on breast cancer. Half the group will get standard chemotherapy with these two drugs and the other half will receive super doses of the same drugs through autologous bone marrow transplantation.
The recent formation of the Irish Clinical Oncology Research Group (ICORG), will ensure that even when these trials are completed, Irish cancer patients will continue to benefit from being involved in international research, Dr Crown added.