AN “EXCITING” new drug could help women with the most aggressive form of breast cancer survive the disease, a study shows.
The pill — called CDDD11-8 — works by slowing the growth of just cancer cells, rather than also affecting normal, healthy ones like with chemotherapy.
Woman in pink shirt and ribbon holds her breast as a symbol of necessity for prevention checks for women.
It could become a breakthrough option for women with triple negative breast cancer, University of Adelaide researchers said.
Dr Theresa Hickey said: “This is an exciting development in the battle against triple negative breast cancer, which is the most aggressive form of the disease.
“There is currently no treatment that specifically targets this type of breast cancer, with chemotherapy and, in some women, immunotherapy being the only options.
“The results of this study show that this drug could hold the key to improving survival rates.”
Around 55,000 women and 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, of which 15 per cent have triple-negative breast cancer.
It is called triple negative because it lacks three molecules called receptors: the oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2.
In other forms of breast cancer, these receptors pass signals to cancer that can cause it to grow.
Most specific breast cancer treatments work by targeting these receptors, so triple negative is normally considered the hardest type to treat.
The latest study, published in Oncogene, looked at how well CDDD11-8 works at targeting triple negative breast cancer.
The drug was originally developed to treat acute myeloid leukaemia, a type of blood cancer.
It suppresses cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9), which is a pathway that allows tumours to survive, grow and spread by ramping up protein production.
Researchers tested the drug in mice and human breast tissues in the lab.
This drug could hold the key to improving survival rates
Dr Theresa Hickey
They found the drug helps reduce CDK9 in triple negative breast cancer, suggesting it has potential as a therapy for targeting the disease.
Dr Hickey said: “Our pre-clinical study shows that the drug was able to stop the tumour cells from multiplying but did not affect the normal cells in breast tissue taken from patients.
“It is still early days but based on this initial evidence, we believe inhibiting this protein could lead to a treatment for triple negative breast cancer and this new drug should be developed further.”
What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
The first symptom of breast cancer that most women notice is a lump or an area of thickened tissue in their breast.
Most breast lumps are not cancerous, but it’s always best to have them checked by a doctor.
You should see a GP if you notice any of the following:
a new lump or area of thickened tissue in either breast that was not there before
a change in the size or shape of one or both breasts
a discharge of fluid from either of your nipples
a lump or swelling in either of your armpits
a change in the look or feel of your skin, such as puckering or dimpling, a rash or redness
a rash (like eczema), crusting, scaly or itchy skin or redness on or around your nipple
a change in the appearance of your nipple, such as becoming sunken into your breast
Breast pain is not usually a symptom of breast cancer.
Source: The NHS