Editorial Team
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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : March 27, 2014 11:02 AM IST
Scientists from Weill Cornell Medical College and Houston Methodist have found that a gene previously unassociated with breast cancer plays a pivotal role in the growth and progression of the triple negative form of the disease. Their research suggests that targeting the gene may be a new approach to treating the disease. About 42,000 new cases of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) are diagnosed in the United States each year, about 20 percent of all breast cancer diagnoses. Patients typically relapse within one to three years of being treated.
Senior author Dr. Laurie H. Glimcher, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medical College, wanted to know whether the gene already understood from her prior work to be a critical regulator of immune and metabolic functions was important to cancer's ability to adapt and thrive in the oxygen- and nutrient-deprived environments inside of tumors.
Using cells taken from patients' tumors and transplanted into mice, Dr. Glimcher's team found that the gene, XBP1, is especially active in triple negative breast cancer, particularly in the progression of malignant cells and their resurgence after treatment. "Patients with the triple negative form of breast cancer are those who most desperately need new approaches to treat their disease," Dr. Glimcher, who is also a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell said. (Read: Could peach provide a cure for breast cancer?)
"This pathway was activated in about two-thirds of patients with this type of breast cancer. Now that we better understand how this gene helps tumors proliferate and then return after a patient's initial treatment, we believe we can develop more effective therapies to shrink their growth and delay relapse," the researcher added. (Read: 10 tips to detect breast cancer early)
The study is published in the journal Nature.
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a type of cancer originating from the breast tissues. Both men and women can be afflicted by it though it's rarer in men. Along with cervical cancer it's one of the most common types of cancer that afflicts women. One of the major issues with breast cancer is that it is often not detected soon enough. This is due to low awareness about the disease. Detecting it early can significantly reduce the death risk. (Read: Breast cancer causes, symptoms, myths, diagnosis, treatment)
With inputs from ANI
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