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Posted on Apr 21, 2005, 6 a.m.
By Bill Freeman
A breakthrough treatment for an inherited form of breast cancer was accurately reported in seven newspapers (14 April 2005). After promising results from two laboratory tests of a treatment, safety trials involving women are to commence. It will be some years before the treatment is proven and made widely available.
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News of a breakthrough in the treatment of an inherited form of breast cancer was reported in seven newspapers on 14 April 2005 (1-7). The treatment, an enzyme, destroys the mutant cells of an inherited form of breast cancer with minimal side effects. It is hoped that in the future the enzyme could not only be used to treat patients with the specific form of inherited breast cancer, but provide a vaccine for those with the gene and possibly treat other cancers caused by the same kind of mutation.
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The newspaper articles are based on two independent studies published as letters in the journal Nature (8, 9), and a press release (10). The studies were carried out independently on cells (8) and mice (9), both investigating the use of an enzyme (PARP inhibitor) in the treatment of an inherited form of breast cancer. PARP inhibitors will shortly be entering trials to monitor the safety of the drug and determine the most effective dose. If these trials are successful, larger clinical trials will be necessary to determine the effectiveness of the treatment in women with this inherited form of breast cancer.
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The newspapers accurately report details of the information published in Nature and provided in the press release, though two of the articles (1, 2) fail to mention that the studies reported were laboratory based. The news reports and press release make it clear that the results of safety trials and then clinical trials are needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the treatment, and that it will therefore be some years before the treatment is proven and made widely available.
