New drug therapy approved for breast cancer

According to the National Cancer Institute, 1 out of 8 women have a lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. With the significant number of women at risk, any news coming out on advancements in research or treatment is good news. Doctors may encourage some patients with certain types of breast cancer to buy Tamoxifen.

Drug regulators in Europe approved a new treatment for women with HER2-negative breast cancer July 30. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration had approved it on July 20. This type of cancer represents 25 percent of all cases, according to Breastcancer.org. Affinitor helped those treated with it live longer before the disease progressed.

"The approval of Afinitor is an important milestone marking the first major advance for women in the European Union with hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer since the introduction of aromatase inhibitors more than 15 years ago. Treatment with Afinitor gives women a new option in the battle against this advanced form of breast cancer, where there remains a significant unmet need," said Herve Hoppenot, president of Novartis Oncology, the drug maker.

In 2009, more than 2.7 million women were alive who had a history of breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. NCI also reports that deaths from breast cancer average 100,000 per year.