Local Oncologist Says Kadcyla Is “A Really Good Drug”

BOSTON (CBS) – The FDA approval of the breast cancer drug Kadcyla is getting a welcome reception from a local oncologist. WBZ’s Diane Stern spoke with Dr. Eric Weiner, Director of the Breast Oncology Center at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Kadcyla combines the drug Herceptin, with a powerful chemotherapy drug and a third chemical. The cocktail binds to a cancer cell, delivering a double-shot of anti-tumor poison. WBZ NewsRadio’s Diane Stern reports Download: breast-cancer-web-ext.mp3 “It is a big deal,” Weiner says. “We’ve actually been working with the drug at Dana Farber since 2006 or 2007. We have had a series of clinical trials, and it is a drug that is both highly effective and has very few side effects.” Dr. Weiner says he expects to be able to treat patients with the drug in a matter of weeks. The drug is estimated to cost $94,000 a year. “I’m not surprised that that’s the price-point,” said Weiner. “That’s not far from the price of many similar drugs that have recently been developed. In this case, the one thing I can say is, it’s a really good drug.”
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Heard On WBZ NewsRadio 1030 Local Syndicated Local Watch Listen Boston Breast Cancer Dr. Eric Weiner Kadcyla Source Type: news