New therapy targets breast cancer metastases in brain

(Northwestern University) When breast cancer spreads to the brain, the prognosis is grim. Patients only have about six months to live. Women with HER2-positive breast cancer tend to develop brain metastases in up to 55% of cases. Chemotherapy drugs targeting breast cancer cells in the brain aren't effective, because they can't cross the blood-brain-barrier. But a new combination therapy targeting breast cancer tumors in the brain dramatically decreased tumor size and increased survival in a preclinical study.
Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news