National Cancer Institute
at the National Institutes of Health
Information Summaries from PDQ
Clinical Trials
- Clinical Trials to Treat Breast Cancer
Check for breast cancer treatment trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials now accepting patients. The list of clinical trials can be refined by location, stage of disease, drug, and other features. - The TAILORx Breast Cancer Trial
A collection of material about the Trial Assigning IndividuaLized Options for Treatment (Rx), or TAILORx, which will examine whether a molecular test can assign women with early-stage breast cancer to the most appropriate and effective treatment.
Research Findings
- Breast Cancer Cells Found by Immunochemistry in Sentinel Nodes Not Associated with Survival
The detection of breast cancer cells in sentinel lymph nodes by immunochemistry—antibody-based techniques to detect cancer cells—in addition to standard tissue staining does not appear to help predict survival after treatment for breast cancer. These results, from the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG) Z0010 study, were published online July 26 in JAMA. - Eribulin Improves Survival of Women with Metastatic Breast Cancer
Treatment with eribulin (Halaven™) improved overall survival in women with metastatic breast cancer whose disease progressed despite multiple rounds of prior chemotherapy, according to the results of a phase III clinical trial called EMBRACE. - Trastuzumab after Chemotherapy Is Effective in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
Treatment with trastuzumab for 1 year following standard chemotherapy improved disease-free survival in women with HER2-positive early breast cancer, according to 4-year follow-up results of the Herceptin Adjuvant (HERA) trial reported February 25, 2011, in Lancet Oncology. - When Combined with Chemotherapy, Bevacizumab Is Associated with Increased Risk of Death
Cancer patients who receive the targeted therapy bevacizumab (Avastin) in combination with chemotherapy are at increased risk of serious side effects that may lead to death, according to a meta-analysis of 16 clinical trials that was published February 2, 2011, in JAMA. - Single-Dose Partial Breast Irradiation Safe for Some Women with Invasive Breast Cancer
A study published online June 5, 2010, in The Lancet shows that for some women with invasive breast cancer a single dose of radiotherapy delivered at the time of surgery may be an alternative to a standard course of external beam radiotherapy. - Some Older Women Can Forgo Radiation after Breast Cancer Surgery
Women 70 years of age or older with early-stage breast cancer did not benefit from the addition of radiation therapy to breast-conserving surgery and tamoxifen, according to results of a phase III randomized study presented in advance of the 2010 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting. - Shorter Course of Radiation Effective and Safe for Some Women with Early-stage Breast Cancer
Giving radiation therapy in fewer but larger doses may be an alternative to standard radiation therapy for some women with early-stage breast cancer, according to a study published in the February 11, 2010, New England Journal of Medicine.
Types of Breast Cancer Therapies
- Drugs Approved for Breast Cancer
This page lists cancer drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for breast cancer. The list includes generic names, brand names, and common drug combinations, which are shown in capital letters. - Targeted Therapies for Breast Cancer
A tutorial about targeted therapies developed to treat breast cancer. It describes important molecular pathways in breast cancer cells and new therapeutic agents, including small molecules and monoclonal antibodies, that target these pathways. - Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer
A fact sheet that explains different types of adjuvant therapy (treatment given after primary therapy to increase the chance of long-term survival) and neoadjuvant therapy (treatment given before primary therapy). Discusses side effects, risks, and benefits of adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer. - Herceptin® (Trastuzumab): Questions and Answers
A fact sheet that describes Herceptin, a monoclonal antibody used in the treatment of cancer. Includes information about common and serious side effects of the therapy. - Tamoxifen
A fact sheet that describes the action, risks, benefits, and side effects of tamoxifen, a drug that interrupts the hormone estrogen and its connection to breast cancer. - Aromatase Inhibitors
A collection of information about aromatase inhibitors, a hormone therapy used in the treatment of some women with breast cancer. - NIH Report on the Diagnosis and Management of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ
An NIH panel urges further research to determine which ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) patients may be candidates for less invasive therapy. - Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Questions and Answers
A fact sheet about the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory breast cancer, an uncommon type of cancer in which the breast becomes red, swollen, and warm. - Paget Disease of the Nipple
A fact sheet about Paget disease of the nipple, an uncommon type of breast cancer that is sometimes called mammary Paget's disease.
Related Treatment Information
- Angiogenesis Inhibitors
A fact sheet that describes the process of eliminating the blood supply to tumors. Lists the cancers in which this approach is being tested. - Biological Therapies for Cancer
A fact sheet that provides an overview of how the immune system functions and describes the actions of biological therapies. - Biological Therapy
An introduction to biological therapy to help patients prepare to receive it for cancer treatment or managing side effects. - Radiation Therapy for Cancer
A fact sheet that defines the different types of radiation therapy and discusses scientific advances that improve the effectiveness of this treatment. - Targeted Cancer Therapies
This NCI fact sheet describes targeted cancer therapies, which are drugs that block the growth and spread of cancer by interfering with specific molecules involved in carcinogenesis (the process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells) and tumor growth. - Cancer Vaccines
A fact sheet that discusses cancer vaccines. Explains how they work, how they are made, and describes research related to their use.
