(Photo: National Cancer Institute)
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Medical researchers in the UK gave this treatment to 257 women who had a particular type of breast cancer, affecting about a tenth of breast cancer patients. These women took two drugs: lapatinib and trastuzumab. The results surprised doctors. The BBC reports:
But by the time surgeons came to operate, there was no sign of cancer in some patients.
Prof Judith Bliss, from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, said the impact was "dramatic".
She told the BBC News website: "We were particularly surprised by these findings as this was a short-term trial.
"It became apparent some had a complete response. It's absolutely intriguing, it is so fast."
The tumors completely disappeared for 11% of the patients and shrank considerably for another 17% of participants in the study.
-via Ace of Spades HQ