Using Herceptin in combination with another drug before surgery shrinks and may even destroy tumours in women with an aggressive form of breast cancer in less than two weeks, an “astonishing” study suggests.
The results of the Cancer Research UK-funded trial, presented at the 10th European Breast Cancer Conference in Amsterdam, could – if successfully replicated – lead to fewer women needing chemotherapy.
Around a quarter of 66 women with HER2 positive breast cancer treated for 11 days with both trastuzumab (the generic name for Herceptin) and lapatinib saw their tumours rapidly shrink significantly or even disappear.
Can the doctors explain why if the tumour had disappeared with this treatment the patient still needs surgery. The article says no chemo is required "after surgery". And does surgery mean mastectomy?
The Guardian tends to over sensationalize stories like this. If you go to the article and click on the links you can get more information about the study.
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Herceptin is covered under medical insurance? 
breast cancer treatment
