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Researchers around the world are
working to find better ways to prevent, detect, and treat breast
cancer, and to improve the quality of life of patients and
survivors.
Breast cancer causes
Studies continue to look at how certain lifestyle factors, habits,
other environmental factors, and inherited gene changes (mutations)
might affect breast cancer risk.
Gene changes
Some breast cancers run in families. Several studies are focusing on
the best use of genetic testing for inherited breast cancer gene
changes. Other studies are being done to identify inherited gene
changes that are not yet known.
Scientists are also exploring how common gene changes known as
variants might affect breast cancer risk. These types of gene
changes typically have only a modest effect on risk by themselves,
but when combined, they could possibly have a large impact.
Other causes
Possible environmental causes of breast cancer have also received
more attention in recent years. While much of the research on this
topic is still in early stages, this is an area of active research.
Breast cancer prevention
Researchers are looking for ways to help reduce breast cancer risk,
especially for people who are at high risk.
Lifestyle factors
Studies are looking at whether certain levels of physical activity,
losing weight, or eating certain foods or types of diets might help
lower breast cancer risk.
Medicines
Some hormonal medicines such as tamoxifen, raloxifene, exemestane,
and anastrozole have already been shown to help lower breast cancer
risk for certain women at higher risk. Researchers continue to study
which groups of women might benefit most from these drugs.
Studies are also looking at whether some nonhormonal drugs might
lower breast cancer risk.
Risk-reducing surgery
For people at very high risk, such as those with certain inherited
gene changes, researchers continue to study the benefits and timing
of risk-reducing surgery.
Newer tests to personalize your treatment
Biomarker and liquid biopsy tests are being developed and studied to
help those with breast cancer.
Biomarkers
Breast cancer tissue is routinely tested for certain biomarkers such
as hormone receptors and HER2 to help make treatment decisions. A
biomarker is any gene, protein, or other substance that can be
measured in blood, tissues, or other body fluids. Studies are
looking at whether testing for other biomarkers or even groups of
biomarkers might help predict a persons prognosis (outlook) or
decide which treatments might be best.
Liquid biopsies and circulating tumor DNA
Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is DNA that is released into the blood
when cells die. Breast cancer cells can also release DNA into the
blood. This can be detected and measured using tests on a blood
sample, which is sometimes referred to as a liquid biopsy. Testing
the ctDNA in the blood for cancer biomarkers is a rapidly growing
area of study.
Measuring ctDNA might help determine whether:
Small amounts of cancer remain in the body after treatment, even
if they cant be seen on imaging tests, which is known as minimal
residual disease (MRD). This might help predict the risk of
recurrence or whether further treatment is needed.
A certain drug will work on a tumor before trying it
The cancer has become resistant to a drug
Breast cancer has come back after treatment, before it can be seen
on an imaging test like a mammogram
Newer imaging tests
Newer types of tests are being developed for breast imaging. Some of
these are already being used in certain situations, while others are
still being studied. It will take time to see whether they are as
good as or better than those used today. Some of these tests
include:
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Scintimammography (molecular breast
imaging)
Positron emission mammography (PEM)
Contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM)
Electrical impedance imaging (EIT)
Elastography
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)
New types of optical imaging tests
For more on these tests, see Newer and Experimental Breast Imaging
Tests on the
American Cancer Society website.
Breast cancer treatment
New kinds of treatments for breast cancer are always being studied.
For example, in recent years, several new targeted drugs have been
approved to treat breast cancer.
More and better treatment options are needed, especially for cancers
like triple-negative breast cancer, where some types of medicines
arent likely to be helpful.
New types of treatment
Research being done on new types of treatment includes:
Testing whether different types of radiation therapy, such as
proton beam radiation, might be better than standard radiation.
Combining different types of drugs to see whether they work better
together.
Trying to find new drugs or drug combinations that might help
treat breast cancer that has spread to the brain.
Treating hormone-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer
with newer drugs called selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs),
such as elacestrant and imlunestrant, if the tumor cells have an
ESR1 gene change.
Testing different immunotherapy drugs to treat triple-negative
breast cancer.
Studying and expanding the use of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs),
which deliver chemotherapy directly to cancer cells. These drugs are
already used for some types of breast cancer, and researchers are
looking at using them earlier in treatment.
Finding new treatment options when breast cancer becomes resistant
to current treatments.
Whether less treatment is better
Since many cancer treatments have side effects, research is being
done to weigh the benefits and risks of each treatment. For example,
studies are being done to determine:
Whether some women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) can be
watched closely instead of being treated with surgery.
Which people with breast cancer need to have the lymph nodes under
their arm removed, or even checked, as part of their treatment.
Whether shorter courses of radiation therapy for very early-stage
breast cancers are at least as good as the longer courses now often
used.
Whether some people can safely get less treatment, such as
shortening or even avoiding chemotherapy, to reduce side effects.
Supportive care
Supportive care helps patients and caregivers manage the symptoms of
cancer and side effects of cancer treatment. Clinical trials are
looking at different ways to try to improve supportive care for
people with breast cancer. For example, researchers are studying:
Medicines or ways to prevent the damage to nerves that sometimes
happens with certain chemotherapy drugs.
Medicines to help protect fertility before or during chemotherapy.
Drugs or other treatments to help limit memory problems and other
brain symptoms after chemotherapy.
Whether certain heart or blood pressure drugs can help prevent the
heart damage sometimes caused by common breast cancer drugs such as
doxorubicin and trastuzumab.
Medicines to help treat the fatigue that cancer or its treatment
can cause.
Taken from the American Cancer society website
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