AUSTRALIAN researchers have uncovered a potential new treatment approach for one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer, raising hopes of preventing the disease from spreading to other parts of the body.
Scientists from Adelaide University and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute have identified a molecular switch that drives the spread of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a subtype associated with some of the poorest outcomes.
The study, published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, found patients with low levels of a naturally occurring molecule known as miR-342 and high activity of the cancer-driving E2F pathway were more likely to develop metastatic disease.
In pre-clinical models, restoring miR-342 levels markedly reduced the spread of cancer to organs including the lungs and bones.
Researchers also found palbociclib, an existing drug used for advanced hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, significantly reduced metastatic tumour growth in models with low miR-342.
Co-senior author Associate Professor Philip Gregory said the discovery could lead to a more personalised treatment approach.
“The exciting aspect of this discovery is that drugs targeting this pathway already exist,” he said.
Researchers will now seek to validate the findings using patient-derived pre-clinical models before progressing to clinical trials.