Experimental Smart Bomb Treatment For Breast Cancer Proves Promising

By KYW Medical Editor Dr. Brian McDonough

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Breast cancer researchers announced at a medical conference the news of encouraging results with a new drug treatment.

It is called a smart bomb treatment for breast cancer. Although it's not available on the market yet because it's still experimental, TDM-1, is quite impressive.

It builds on Herceptin. That was the first gene-targeted therapy for breast cancer. It combines Herceptin type properties with chemotherapy so toxic that it can't be given by itself.

The chemical combines the two and attacks the tumor. One important point is that side effects are dramatically reduced but the most important point is it does improve survival.

After two years, 65 percent of women who received it were still alive versus 47 percent in those on a comparison group.