According to the World Health Organization, breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among women. It is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Around 26.6% of new cases of breast cancer were reported in India in 2022, followed by cervical cancer and ovarian cancer in women.
If breast cancer isn’t treated at the right moment, it can lead to various risks. However, hope is not lost. Each day, newer clinical trials are being conducted to determine the exact impact of breast cancer and its treatment. Thus, over the years, different cancer treatments have come up.
Whether it’s targeted therapy, chemotherapy or surgery, improvements are being brought in every sector to breast cancer faster. If you have breast cancer, it is important to get it diagnosed. Dr Pankhuri Gautam, one of the leading doctors of Jaipur, can help in finding the right treatment method for breast cancer.
Now, let’s look at the latest advancements in breast cancer treatment.
What are the Latest Breast Cancer Treatments?
When it comes to breast cancer, there is no one-size-fits-all kind of treatment. There are different types of breast cancer treatment, and in recent years, a lot of developments have been made as well. The breast cancer treatment you opt for has a huge influence on the stage of cancer you’re in.
It is crucial that you openly discuss the risk factors so that doctors can understand the stage you’re potentially in and what treatment would be suitable. The screening recommendations would, therefore, vary accordingly. The physician will analyse the personal risk factors to understand the treatment.
Innovative Breast Cancer Treatments for 2024
Some of the major breast cancer treatments for 2024 are as follows:
CAR T Cell Therapy
Doctors conduct clinical trials based on immunotherapy or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. This treatment has shown a positive impact on breast cancer patients whose cancer has spread to the brain.
The patient’s T cells are collected and engineered to destroy cancerous cells. These T cells help target and eradicate HER2-positive cancer cells. Thus, T cells are considered to be soldiers that help kill cancerous cells.
More scientific findings need to be established in this arena for the treatment of breast cancer. Clinical trials are being conducted to establish a stronger method.
Improved Breast Cancer Surgical Techniques
Better and improved versions of cancer surgical techniques are brought to the market. These techniques are mostly for patients who do not require radiation therapy after their treatment. The revival of the 1970’s latissimus dorsi flap reconstruction is better than surgical procedures.
In the latissimus dorsi flap technique, one part of the skin, muscle, and fat is pulled forward from the back to reconstruct the breast. This procedure does not involve cutting the blood vessel, which is why it is hailed as risk-free. The recovery time for the latissimus dorsi flap technique is also faster.
Opting for the latissimus dorsi flap technique does not require any blood loss. However, better strategies regarding the management of breast cancer surgery need to be brought in. If the patient chooses local anaesthesia, they can be discharged within one day of the surgery.
More Realistic Nipple Tattoos
Breast cancer treatment is very effective, but a lot of people are left with body dysmorphia after the surgery. This is mostly because, after mastectomy, the nipples may require to be removed completely. Therefore, to help the mastectomy patients recover their confidence, they are given realistic nipple tattoos.
Most hospitals are moving towards offering realistic 3D areola nipple tattoos to reconstruct the breast structure. These tattoos aim to provide a better and more realistic appearance to the breast area.
While nipple tattoos were a thing in the past, they just involved drawing concentric circles around the breast region. These, however, didn’t appear much realistic. On the other hand, the 3D nipple tattoos are focused on providing a much more realistic appearance without the involvement of any surgical procedure.
Chemotherapy Replacement Shot
The chemotherapy replacement shots will be one of the best treatments for HER2-positive breast cancer. This shot will combine two major immunotherapy-targeted drugs, Perjeta and Herceptin. The FDA approved using Phesgo in 2020 for faster administration of the Perjeta and Herceptin.
Phesgo as a drug will be given as a subcutaneous injection, whose first dose can be administered within eight minutes. However, as for the subsequent injections, they would take around five minutes.
Depending on the progress of the treatment and condition of breast cancer, your doctor can recommend a proper treatment. It is far more comfortable and efficient than the diagnosis and other forms of treatment.
Hereditary cancer syndromes
Various genetic mutations such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 are known to increase the chances of a person developing breast cancer. These genetic mutations are also responsible for causing other types of cancer.
However, the latest research and development suggests that hereditary cancer syndromes can also increase the risk of cancer. Doctors are discovering new developments through gene sequencing techniques.
The genes become carriers of cancerous cells, which further develop in the later stages. Therefore, the blood and saliva test can help determine hereditary cancer syndrome.
Advanced screening techniques, therefore, play an important role in identifying the presence of existing cancer.
Oral Option for Targeted Therapy
Compared to the risk of ovarian cancer, breast cancer is linked to fewer genetic mutations. However, PARP inhibitors can still hurt genetic mutations. Various trials to determine the impact are still underway.
Patients with enhanced levels of BRCA gene mutation can, therefore, opt for oral therapy. This not only helps to treat BRCA breast cancer but also metastatic breast cancer.
The scientists are also creating BRCA-like environments in different clinical trials to determine the efficiency of PARP inhibitors, even for women who do not have the risk of targeted mutations. However, the early response from some of these clinical trials indicates that a few of these women will have a complete response, meaning that there won’t be any cancer found around the breasts during surgery.
Surgery
In order to treat breast cancer, while some patients undergo chemotherapy, others have to undergo surgery. The main goal of these treatments is to shrink the size of the tumour and affected lymph nodes in order to treat and make a recovery faster easily.
Lumpectomy and mastectomy are considered to be two major forms of surgery for treating breast cancer. Under some circumstances, the doctor may have to perform a double mastectomy, ensuring the prevention of the development and growth of newer cancerous cells.
If you’re opting for breast cancer surgery, it is advisable only to choose expert surgeons. Professional surgeons use the most effective yet least invasive procedures for breast cancer surgery.
Angiogenesis inhibitors
Angiogenesis refers to the process of creating new blood vessels controlled by one of the main molecules, vascular endothelial growth factor (VGEF). Various cancer tumours may rely on VGEF to create new blood vessels.
The creation of new blood vessels will increase the blood supply around the tumour, paving the way for the rapid growth of newer cancerous cells.
As per the latest developments in cancer treatment research, the researchers have developed angiogenesis or anti-angiogenic inhibitors. These drugs bind themselves to VGEF or receptor proteins, further inhibiting or preventing them from starting angiogenesis.
Final Thoughts
There have been some major yet significant developments across the cancer treatment industry in the past few years. Doctors and researchers are collaborating further to establish a strong mandate and treatment solution for breast cancer, too. Shortly, we may observe further developments for better treatment.
If you’re seeking breast cancer treatment, contact Dr. Pankhuri Gautam. As one of the leading doctors in Jaipur, I can help you develop a better treatment option while improving your quality of life.
