Drugs Score Big Wins Against Lung, Prostate, Breast Cancers

CHICAGO (AP) — Drugs are scoring big wins against common cancers, setting new standards for how to treat many prostate, breast and lung tumors. There’s even a “uni-drug” that may fight many forms of the disease. What’s striking: The drugs are beneficial in some cases for more than a year, much longer than the few months many new drugs provide. Here are highlights from the world’s largest cancer meeting, the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago. PROSTATE CANCER Janssen Biotech’s Zytiga improved survival and delayed cancer growth for 18 months when added to standard care in a study of 1,200 men with advanced prostate cancer. The drug is approved to treat tumors that are resistant to hormone therapy; this study tested it as initial treatment. The study was stopped early because men on Zytiga were living longer — 66 percent were alive after three years versus 49 percent of a comparison group not given the drug. Zytiga also delayed the time until cancer worsened — 33 months versus 15 months for the others. (File photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images/Cancer Research UK) In a second study of 1,900 men newly diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, adding Zytiga to usual treatment also improved survival: 83 percent were alive at three years versus 76 percent of men not given the drug. Zytiga also cut the chance of relapse and serious bone problems. Zytiga caused more side effects, including high blood pressure, but the bene...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Breast Cancer Health News Prostate Cancer Source Type: news