Advanced breast cancer drug appears effective on multiple targets

An experimental breast cancer drug that simultaneously attacks five tumor targets has halted progression of the disease in a clinical trial for patients with advanced disease.

The compound, SUTENT or SU11248, acts to inhibit the growth of blood vessels that feed tumors and to halt cell reproduction by interfering with two receptors on the surface of tumor cells, said Kathy Miller, M.D., assistant professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

“None of the current approved drugs inhibit this many growth factors related to cell development which makes this a very interesting drug,” said Dr. Miller.

The clinical trial involved 64 women with advanced disease who had not responded to other treatments. Early results for approximately 15 percent of trial participants indicate no progression of the disease or at least a 50 percent reduction in the size of their tumors.

“These ladies have very advanced disease so this is very encouraging,” said Dr. Miller.

The drug, which is made by Pfizer Oncology, will be further tested in a Phase III trial for patients with advanced disease and a Phase II trial of other tumor types.

http://medicine.indiana.edu