Combination therapy shows promise against triple-negative breast cancer

ISLAMABAD: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women globally, and it can, though rarely, also affect men. There are various types of breast cancer, with triple-negative breast cancer being one of the most challenging to treat.Healthcare in Crisis: Male Doctors Flee, Women Opt-Out, Warns PIMA

A recent cellular study has discovered two inhibitors that, when used in combination, allow triple-negative breast cancer cells to revert to a state that makes them more susceptible to destruction. The researchers advocate for clinical trials to validate these findings and explore their potential as a new treatment for this difficult-to-treat cancer type.

According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives, with the majority of cases occurring in women over 50. While the incidence of breast cancer is on the rise, the mortality rate has decreased, thanks to widespread screening and improved treatments.

However, some types of breast cancer remain difficult to treat. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is particularly aggressive, often growing and spreading rapidly, and tends to have a poorer prognosis than other types.

Ben Atkinson, head of research communications at Breast Cancer Now, shared with Medical News Today that around 8,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with TNBC each year. He noted that it is typically more aggressive and has a higher risk of recurrence and metastasis, especially in the initial years.

TNBC poses treatment challenges because, unlike many other breast cancers, its tumor cells lack estrogen or progesterone receptors and do not produce the HER2 protein. As a result, they do not respond to hormone therapies or anti-HER2 medications commonly used for other breast cancer types.

A study conducted by Mass General Brigham has identified a combination of two types of therapeutic agents that can selectively target and kill these breast cancer cells, raising hopes for a new treatment approach for triple-negative breast cancer. This study is published in Nature.

“This study has a distinctive origin story, firmly grounded in basic research and collaboration. Funded by Cancer Research UK and The Mark Foundation through the Cancer Grand Challenges program, a global team of researchers spent five years investigating critical questions about cancer biology.

Their findings led to a novel combination of AKT and EZH2 inhibitors, based on a thorough understanding of the pathways that drive cancer growth. While many combination therapies are chosen without a solid rationale, this team approached the problem from a foundational perspective, which yielded fruitful results.”