Hormone breakthrough in breast cancer tests

A GROUNDBREAKING discovery holds out the hope of taming deadly non-hormone-sensitive breast cancers.

In laboratory tests, Swedish scientists have succeeded in transforming the aggressive tumour cells so that they become highly responsive to standard hormone therapy.

They used an experimental drug to block a signalling molecule that transmits information between breast cancer cells and surrounding connective tissue.

Detailed analysis of about 1,400 breast cancers showed that women with high levels of the signalling molecule PDGF-CC in their tumours had a poor prognosis.

Lead scientist Professor Kristian Pietras, from Lund University, said: “We have ... developed a new treatment strategy for aggressive and difficult-to-treat breast cancers that restores sensitivity to hormone therapy.

“These findings have major implications in the development of more effective treatments for patients with aggressive breast cancer.”

Most breast cancers are fuelled by female hormones, mostly oestrogen. They generally respond to treatments that either block activity of the hormones or cut off their supply. The promising lab results justified evaluating the new treatment approach in clinical trials, they added.