In high-risk primary breast cancer patients who undergo high-dose chemotherapy with autologous blood stem cell support, p53 overexpression and Her2/neu overexpression remain strong independent negative predictors of survival, researchers from Germany report.
“These two factors are known to be predictive in conventionally treated patients,” Dr. Manfred Hensel of the University of Heidelberg told Reuters Health. “We are one of the first groups that could show that even the most intensive form of therapy, high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplantation, is not able to overcome these adverse biologic features.” Patients with high-risk breast cancer due to involvement of axillary lymph nodes have a poor long-term prognosis with conventional chemotherapy.
In 1992, Dr. Hensel’s group initiated a study to evaluate the effect of high-dose chemotherapy supported by transplantation of autologous peripheral blood stem cells. In the July 20th issue of the International Journal of Cancer, they report the outcomes of the 149 such patients treated thus far.
השאירו תגובה
רוצה להצטרף לדיון?תרגישו חופשי לתרום!