Susan G. Komen® Joins Forces With Heron Therapeutics to Raise Awareness of the Supportive Care Needs of Patients With Breast Cancer
11/29/2016
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Organizations Launch Matching Campaign With Year-End
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Through coordinated fundraising efforts,
“Heron Therapeutics and
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the U.S., and, this year alone, approximately 247,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S.1 Among women diagnosed with breast cancer, 72% to 94% (depending on stage of disease) are treated with surgery, and chemotherapy is often part of the treatment plan.2
“Despite available treatments, patients are still suffering from the
debilitating effects of breast cancer surgery and chemotherapy, which
result in difficult and painful recoveries that create understandable
challenges to the continuation of treatment,” said Barry D. Quart,
Pharm.D., Chief Executive Officer of
Anthracycline and cyclophosphamide-based regimens are among the most common chemotherapies used to treat patients following breast cancer surgery, but they are associated with devastating side effects, such as prolonged nausea and vomiting. Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is the side effect of chemotherapy that patients most want to avoid.3 New treatment options are needed to help prevent and manage CINV, especially the nausea and vomiting that continues for days after receiving chemotherapy, where limited effective options exist.
Post-surgical pain is another debilitating side effect that breast cancer patients face, where additional treatment options are needed. Most patients who undergo breast cancer surgery experience pain, which requires the use of opioids and hospitalization for several days. Opioids have the potential to cause side effects, such as constipation, nausea, altered mental status and respiratory depression. Further, opioids place patients at serious risk for long-term dependence or addiction. New non-opioid alternatives are needed for managing post-surgical pain in these patients.4
Supportive care and symptom management are critical components of a breast cancer patient’s treatment plan and can help prevent or relieve the side effects of breast cancer and its treatment, while providing many important benefits to breast cancer patients and their families. Supportive care has been shown to improve quality of life for breast cancer patients and may help these patients complete their treatment regimens and thereby increase survival rates.
Donate now at komen.org to take part in the program and join in on the fight against breast cancer.
About Susan G. Komen®
About Heron Therapeutics, Inc.
References
1.
2.
3. K Beusterien et al. “Patient Preferences for Chemotherapies Used in
Breast Cancer.”
4. H Nerseyan et al. “Current Approach to Cancer Pain Management: Availability and Implications of Different Treatment Options.” Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management, 2007: (3) 381-400.
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Source:
Susan G. Komen®
Dana Fennewald, 972-855-1670
dfennewald@komen.org
and
Heron
Therapeutics, Inc.
David Szekeres, 858-356-4778
dszekeres@herontx.com