Jan 12
23
Breast Cancer Drug Shows Promise for Ovarian Cancer Treatment
Avastin, a cancer drug that was a hopeful for breast cancer treatment when it got in its more advanced stages, is apparently showing promise for another type of female cancer. Ovarian cancer patients saw about four months added to the time it usually takes for ovarian cancer to progress into very serious territory.
Basically, the drug may not actually save lives, but may extend them further beyond what they currently span when ovarian cancer reaches the point of no return, so to speak. Because of this though, it may have further implications in treating various female types of cancer on the market, and may be studied further to see if it has any therapeutic benefit.
In a seemingly converse twist, the women who paired Avastin with the other cancer therapies they were on for their ovarian cancer in the study did not live any longer than the women that did not take Avastin in addition. This begs the question, why even bother with the additional drug if it did not, as an end result, extend the actual lives of the women?
Not to mention, what should really be looked at with these drugs is whether they are extending the life, or the progression of the disease while also increasing the quality of life? If they are not, and they are merely extending an existence of pain and suffering, then one must ask, is this really right?
If you recall, we discussed Avastin not too long ago as it related to breast cancer treatment. The FDA recently revoked its previous approval for complementary breast cancer treatment due to significant health risks.
These health risks imposed on women who had avanced breast cancer were simply not worth the less than stellar results the drug had on extending their lives. The risks had to do with perforations found in the intestines that were linked to the drug which could potentially be life threatening, and add yet another health problem onto women already beleagured with health issues stemming from the cancer and all the medications they are on – all of which have serious side effects.
As you can tell, I take a fairly mistrustful stance on many medical establishment status quos when it comes to medications and treatments for such serious ailments as cancer. I think it takes a very critical eye to really figure out what works, and what is really forced on us as being the only potential treatment for these cancers, which scare the heck out of people.
