THE EXPERIMENTAL DRUG THAT OFFERS CANCER PATIENTS A NEW KIND OF HOPE, T - DM1.

Trastuzumab emtansine, commonly referred to as T-DM1, appears to be superior to the standard treatment for women with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer. Researchers are presenting the results of a large three-year clinical trial Sunday at the 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago.It's a combination of the targeted drug trastuzumab (the "T" in T-DM1), better known by the brand name Herceptin, and a very powerful chemotherapy drug called emtansine (the "DM1" part). The drug is designed to work when Herceptin alone no longer can keep the cancer in check. "It's a brand new way of treating HER2-positive breast cancer," said the lead study author, Dr. Kimberly Blackwell. "This will offer a very important therapeutic option for patients faced with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer."