Results Provide Insight About Recurrence, Treatment of TNBC
Susan G. Komen®, the world’s leading breast cancer organization, today commended the results of a clinical trial, led by Komen Scholar Dr. Bryan Schneider, that moves us closer to predicting recurrence and informing the treatment of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). The results were presented at the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
Schneider and his colleagues conducted a clinical trial at over 25 sites that looked at circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating DNA (ctDNA) from the blood to determine their effectiveness at predicting recurrence, and the prognosis for patients with TNBC. TNBC has limited treatment options and a poor prognosis for patients.
“The results showed that breast cancer recurrence could be predicted for these patients and physicians may be able to use this information in the future to identify patients who are at high risk for recurrence,” Schneider said. “Through this approach, researchers can also identify patients who have an incredibly good prognosis leading to the potential for future studies focused on novel de-escalation approaches for some TNBC patients.”
A key aspect of this study is that over 25% of the patients enrolled were African-American women – a population that is more likely to be diagnosed with the difficult to treat TNBC. Additionally, more than 25% of the patients enrolled were under the age of 35, which is another population disproportionately impacted by TNBC.
The results of the trial have led to a second clinical trial to refine how liquid biopsy can inform treatment for TNBC patients. “The potential promise of knowing more about your risk and options from a simple blood test is phenomenal,” says Schneider.
Victoria Wolodzko, senior vice president of Mission at Susan G. Komen, added, “We have been talking about the potential of liquid biopsy for a long time and we are excited to see this technology working for breast cancer patients. We look forward to the results of the follow up trial that will lead to better treatment strategies for TNBC patients and give physicians and patients better tools to guide precision medicine.
