14 DAY TRIAL // Selecting the proper course of treatment in metastatic brain cancer is essential for patient survival. If a treatment fails, the sooner experts learn about it, the better. Now, investigators announce the development of a chemical whose effects on tumors can be quantified within a matter of weeks.
The drug belongs to a class of substances called histone deacetylase inhibitors, scientists reported between November 12-16, at the NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics. The meeting was organized by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).
Participants heard that cells in the blood of patients who received this drug during the trial exhibited signs of the drug just days after the treatment began. What this means is that doctors can figure out early on if the chemicals they are using are effective or not.
At the same time, using the histone deacetylase inhibitor was linked to higher, disease-free survival rates among study participants. This was the first investigation that was conducted on a randomized, placebo-controlled population.
All patients in the research suffered from metastatic breast cancer. This particular subgroup could stand to benefit extensively from new treatments and therapies, especially given the high incidence the condition has in the general population.
The newly-tested chemical, called entinostat, will soon enter additional trials, with the goal of bringing it to the market in order to help save lives. In a related investigation, it was demonstrated that combining this chemical with the aromatase inhibitor exemestane further reduced cancer development.
“The ability to have a marker of benefit within the first several weeks of using this drug represents an exciting advance in personalized medicine,” lead study researcher Peter Ordentlich, PhD, said at the recent conference.
The expert holds an appointment as the executive director of translational science and a founder of Waltham, Massachusetts-based Syndax Pharmaceuticals Inc. This is the company that developed entinostat.
“The goal of entinostat in breast cancer is to extend the benefit of hormone therapy and delay the time that patients will need to use chemotherapy,” the expert adds. He says that about 160,000 women are diagnosed with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive invasive breast cancer yearly.