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LOS ANGELES - The first full-scale trials of an experimental drug that attacks a genetic defect in breast cancer cells show significant promise for women with advanced cancer, scientists said Sunday. The drug, Herceptin, heightened the benefits of chemotherapy by shrinking tumors and slowing progression of a particular type of breast cancer, one that is responsible for about 30 percent of the 180,000 new cases of the disease in the United States each year, the scientists said at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology

The first full-scale trials of an experimental drug that homes in on a genetic defect in breast cancer cells show significant promise for women with advanced cancer, scientists reported today. The drug, Herceptin, heightened the benefits of chemotherapy by shrinking tumors and slowing progression of a particular type of breast cancer, one that is responsible for about 30 percent of the 180,000 new cases of the disease in the United States each year, the scientists said at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology here. Herceptin is a protein known as a monoclonal antibody that was genetically engineered to bind to other specific proteins. The preliminary success with Herceptin and another monoclonal antibody for lymphoma was expected to revive interest in developing such compounds, a research avenue that scientists abandoned a decade ago because of lack of success

The first full-scale trials of an experimental drug that attacks a genetic defect in breast cancer cells show significant promise for women with advanced cancer, scientists reported Sunday. The drug, Herceptin, heightened the benefits of chemotherapy by shrinking tumors and slowing progression of a particular type of breast cancer, one that is responsible for about 30 percent of the 180,000 new cases of the disease in the United States each year, the scientists said at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Los Angeles. Participants at the meeting greeted the reports with cautious optimism, and leaders said they are planning to test the drug, which was developed by Genentech of south San Francisco, among patients with less advanced forms of the breast cancer and among the 20 percent of ovarian cancer cases involving the same genetic defect

The breast cancer drug tamoxifen significantly reduces the rates of recurrence and death from the disease among a surprisingly wide range of women but is being prescribed to far too few patients, researchers reported Thursday in the world's largest analysis of any cancer treatment. Contrary to what many doctors had thought, tamoxifen benefits breast cancer patients of all ages, not just those who have gone through menopause, and is effective whether the cancer was confined to the breast or had spread to lymph nodes in the arm pit, the study found. Tamoxifen also is effective whether the cancer was removed surgically in a lumpectomy or mastectomy, treated with radiation or chemotherapy drugs. Tamoxifen also halves the incidence of new cancers in the breast opposite the site of the first cancer

Contrary to what many doctors had thought, tamoxifen benefits breast cancer patients of all ages, not just those who have gone through menopause, and is effective whether the cancer was confined to the breast or had spread to lymph nodes in the arm pit, the study found. Tamoxifen is also effective whether the cancer was removed surgically in a lumpectomy or mastectomy or treated with radiation or chemotherapy drugs. Tamoxifen also halves the incidence of new cancers in the other breast from the site of the first cancer. But too few women with breast cancer are taking tamoxifen, the Oxford team said. More widespread use of tamoxifen would save 20,000 lives a year, particularly among pre-menopausal women. That would double the 20,000 now saved among the one million women who take it for breast cancer worldwide, the authors said. The analysis focused only on tamoxifen use as a treatment among women who had developed breast cancer and did not concern its use to prevent development of breast cancer. A recently reported study found that tamoxifen reduced the incidence of breast cancer by 45 percent among women considered at high risk for the disease compared to those who took a placebo. Two additional studies suggest that a related drug, raloxifene, can also prevent breast cancer without raising the risk of uterine cancer, a side effect of tamoxifen

An influential panel of the New York State Health Department is urging sweeping changes in the regulation of new fertility technologies, including more steps to reduce the incidence of multiple births. In a report issued today, the panel said doctors providing infertility treatments must think more about the babies born as a result and avoid treatments that are more likely to produce so-called high-order multiple births -- pregnancies of three, four or more babies who are far more prone to devastating problems such as retardation and blindness. Doctors should talk with patients in advance about the possible need to abort one or more fetuses in a high-order multiple pregnancy, the panel said. If an abortion is not an option for the patient, doctor and patient should consider other treatments, even if the chances of pregnancy are reduced

Two new studies reported in preliminary form yesterday suggest that a second drug can apparently prevent breast cancer, at least in the short term. But this drug, raloxifene, did not appear to raise the risk of uterine cancer, a side effect of the first drug, tamoxifen, whose benefits were reported earlier this month. Raloxifene reduced the incidence of breast cancer by about half, roughly the same proportion as in the earlier study of tamoxifen, according to information made public yesterday by a national cancer organization. However, the raloxifene studies did not last as long as the tamoxifen study. In calling the new findings ''important and encouraging,'' the head of the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Richard D. Klausner, said they had led his institute to design a study directly comparing the benefits and risks of raloxifene and tamoxifen. The study, which is expected to begin later this year, was announced on April 6, when the cancer agency reported a 45 percent reduction in risk of breast cancer among tamoxifen users compared with those who took a dummy pill, or placebo

Two new studies reported in preliminary form Monday suggest that a second drug apparently can prevent breast cancer, at least in the short term. But this drug, raloxifene, did not appear to raise the risk of uterine cancer, a side effect of the first drug, tamoxifen, whose benefits were reported earlier this month. Raloxifene reduced the incidence of breast cancer by about half, roughly the same proportion as in the earlier study of tamoxifen, according to information made public on Monday by a national cancer organization. However, the raloxifene studies did not last as long as the tamoxifen study

Tens of thousands of American women with breast cancer are losing a breast unnecessarily each year because their doctors do not follow national guidelines in treating the breast cancer, the first comprehensive study of current practices shows. About 65 percent, or 117,000, of the 180,000 breast cancers diagnosed among American women each year, are classified as early stage (1 and 2). Of these, three-fourths are eligible for breast conserving therapy, which involves removing the cancer in a surgical procedure known as a lumpectomy, followed by radiation therapy. Also, national guidelines published in 1992 state that doctors should not use age, prognosis and tumor type as criteria in choosing mastectomy over breast conservation therapy. The guidelines also list four absolute reasons not to perform such conservation therapy. They are multiple tumors in the same breast, a history of prior irradiation therapy to the breast region, first or second trimester pregnancy and diffuse areas of calcifications on X-rays

The patient, Clint Hallam of Australia, underwent the experimental operation because he lost his right hand in an accident with a circular saw in a jail in New Zealand in 1984. Surgeons reattached the severed limb, but amputated it five years later because it did not function. He received a donor hand and forearm in surgery on Sept. 23. ''It is as if my arm was put on ice for 15 years and now I have it,'' a joyous Mr. Hallam said in speaking publicly for the first time since the transplant operation. His right arm and hand were wrapped heavily in bandages to keep the limb stable. Mr. Hallam ''is progressing step by step, and so far the course is good,'' Dr. Xavier R. Martin, a member of the team that performed the transplant at Edouard Herriot Hospital in Lyons, said in a telephone interview. ''Obviously, he is doing well.''