5 Things to Know About Breast Cancer from a Breast Cancer Researcher
Dr. Tonetti shares the top five things she wants you to know about breast cancer
Women's History Month is not only a time to recognize historic and iconic women, but it's also a great opportunity to call attention to issues that impact women. One major health concern for many women is breast cancer, which affects one in eight women in the United States.
Dr. Debra Tonetti, PhD knows a lot about breast cancer, as she has spent the past thirty years of her career as a breast cancer researcher. After earning a PhD in Biochemistry from Loyola University of Chicago, a postdoctoral fellowship at Argonne National Laboratory, and additional training at Northwestern University, she is now a renowned expert in the field of breast cancer research. Her laboratory is focused on the etiology and treatment of breast cancer, specifically on establishing xenograft models of endocrine resistance and developing novel therapeutics.
Most recently, Dr. Tonetti and Dr. Gregory Thatcher, the UIC Hans W. Vahlteich Chair of Medicinal Chemistry at UIC College of Pharmacy, developed a new type of breast cancer drug that can help stop the progression of the disease and is not toxic, according to phase 1 clinical trials. The drug is specifically designed for women whose cancer has stopped responding to hormone therapy.
As a College, not only is it our mission to educate the students we serve but our greater communities at large, as well. Check out the list below for 5 Things to Know About Breast Cancer, from our expert researcher Dr. Debra Tonetti:
- Lifestyle changes - such as diet to eliminate obesity, increased physical activity, and elimination/reduction in alcohol consumption - can lower breast cancer risk.
- Many women with breast cancer have no symptoms, which is why early detection through screening is crucial to successful treatment outcomes.
- Women that are at high risk due to family history and genetic factors have several options to consider for reducing breast cancer risk including genetic counseling, use of approved drugs for prevention, or preventive surgery.
- In the last few decades, the FDA has approved more drugs for breast cancer than any other solid tumor, including at least 17 targeted therapies.
- A landmark study published in 2018 (Sparano et al, JNCI) employing the Oncotype DX 21-gene expression signature demonstrated that a significant number of women with early-stage hormone receptor-positive breast cancer could safely avoid chemotherapy.
To learn more about cancer research at UI Health, UIC's clinical health enterprise, visit The University of Illinois Cancer Center's website.