I have read this article today and thought may would like to have a look at it seems interesting. webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20090602/new-drug-for-hard-to-treat-breast-cancer?ecd=wnl_nal_060509
Love xxx
Gul
Agree
And this one, too, from the same site. (I’d never heard of Abraxane before)
webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20090603/breast-cancer-drug-abraxane-is-effective?page=2
Gul’s link is about a trial of a PARP inhibitor code named BS1-201 which has shown some good results. Though hang on for what is ‘good’. The trial was of 116 women with advanced triple negative breast cancer, one arm receiving chemo and one arm receiving chemo plus BS1-201. The median survival on the chemotherapy arm was 5.7 months and of the chemo plus PARP arm 9.2 months.
The link about abraxane is intertsing too. Abraxane is a third drug in the taxane ‘family’. I have not heard of it being used in the UK but it is already widely used in the USA.
There is some interesting research going on right now on triple negative breast cancer though I think there’s a good deal of hype too. Very modest findings so far…nothing that I’d call a breakthrough.
Jane
Cut and pasted from FORCE:
PARP Inhibitor Research Presented at ASCO 2009 Conference
Three promising but early research studies on a class of drugs called PARP Inhibitors which may work preferentially for hereditary cancers were presented at the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Conference last week in Orlando.
One session presented results from a clinical trial for breast cancer patients with “triple-negative” cancers: cancers which do not express estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, or the Her2neu protein. This study is particularly relevant to our community since “triple negative breast cancers” are the most common type of breast cancer in BRCA 1 mutation carriers. Approximate 85% of BRCA 1 mutation carriers who have breast cancer have triple negative disease.Some BRCA2 carriers and women with non-hereditary breast cancer (especially African-American women) also develop triple-negative disease.
Two studies investigated the AstraZeneca PARP Inhibitor drug formerly known as AZD2281 and now known by the name “olaparib.” These phase II clinical trials included women with known BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 mutations and metastatic breast cancer or advanced stage ovarian cancer. In this study the PARP Inhibitor was given as a “single agent” (ie- with no other treatment) to women who had already received previous courses of chemotherapy and had progression of their cancer on prior treatments. For both studies olaparib was well tolerated and active in women with advanced cancer.
Although exciting, there is more research that is needed. Larger (phase III) studies will help show if PARP inhibitors can extend the life of women with advanced cancer. Future studies on women with early stage disease will be needed to determine if these medications might be used to prevent recurrence in women with early stage cancer.
More information on the findings presented at ASCO are available on our Research Page.
HI, I’ve just finished my first cycle of Abraxane. My consultant has transferred me from Docetaxel to Abraxane. I’ve only got one more cycle, but this will be cancelled due the side effects. I was hoping to find out if any other people have or are taking this and what side effects they are having.
I look forward in hearing from you.
Thanks
Tracey
ps. For you information - I’m grade 3 Negavive and this is my first time I have ever joined a forum 
Hi audihicks
I am afraid I only know what I have read here about abraxane, in the past I did taxotere during treatment for the primary, currently I aon Taxol / Gemcitabine for incurable region recurrance.
May I ask what sort of side effects you have been suffering from to have to cancel use of this drug?
Nikki
well done on joining the forum! lots of great advice and support here
Hi Nikki
I was moved from Docetaxel due to the steroids (They made me very high for several days - I was only having 2 hours sleep each night and high the rest of the time. Once they left my system, my nutri fields count was so low and I feel like crap)
Abraxane has left me having numb fingers/ Toes. They are hoping that this should were off after 22days. My next and last cycle before Radio will be reduced, so I won’t get the numb fingers/ Toes and also the muscle/ Bone pain that hits you two days later after treatment.
My consultant is trying to get Abraxane to be give to all of his breast cancer patients as the results are excellent.
My last treatment has been delayed a week, but I’m just looking forward to having my hair back and my porta-cath removed. I was hoping to have lost some weight, but I’m now looking like a very fat
buddha
Tracey