A recent study has discovered a new biological process that causes breast tumor cells to become resistant to standard treatment. This discovery could lead to more effective therapies for cancer. The research team also tested a potential drug in combination with an existing therapy, which resulted in complete remission in one breast cancer model and a 70% reduction in cancer growth in other advanced disease models. This is a significant breakthrough in the fight against cancer.
New research out of VCU Massey Compreh rnThe findings of a study conducted by researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, which was recently published in Drug Resistance Updates, unveiled a previously undisclosed biological process that leads to breast tumor cells developing resistance to standard treatment. This discovery could potentially pave the way for cancer scientists worldwide to target this vulnerability and develop more effective therapies for the disease.
In addition, the research team conducted tests on a promising drug in combination with an existing therapy, which resulted in complete remission in one breast cancer model that was resistant to the standard treatment. Furthermore, the combination reduced cancer growth by almost 70% in other models.The development of new drugs to combat drug resistance is crucial for cancer patients who have reached an advanced stage of the disease. Yuesheng Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., the Harrigan, Haw and Luck Families Chair in Cancer Research at Massey, emphasizes the importance of providing hope to patients who have exhausted all available treatment options. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly one-fifth of all breast tumors are HER2-positive, and they tend to grow and spread more rapidly than HER2-negative tumors. In clinical settings, there are three classes of drugs that are used to treat HER2-positive breast cancers.Approved treatments for this type of cancer include monoclonal antibodies (such as trastuzumab, known as Herceptin), tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and antibody small molecule conjugates. These drugs are specifically meant to target the HER2 protein receptor. However, a study has shown that none of these drugs are able to completely eliminate the receptor, allowing tumor cells to partner with other proteins and continue their cancerous activities. The standard treatments, therefore, may not be as effective as previously thought.This study demonstrates that the current standard of care for cancer is very limited. Only a small percentage of patients respond to treatment, and even those who do respond quickly develop resistance,” said Zhang, a professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the VCU School of Medicine.
This paper highlights the urgent clinical need to completely eliminate cancer cells with HER2. It also emphasizes the significance of the EGFR gene family in these tumors, suggesting that effective drugs should target both the HER2 and EGFR receptors to eradicate the disease.
“This study indicates the necessity of targeting both HER2 and EGFR receptors for better treatment outcomes.”This agent that targets the degradation of both HER2 and EGFR has proven to be highly effective in overcoming drug resistance in this type of cancer,” stated Zhang. “These findings offer new insights and innovations for the advancement of treatment for drug-resistant HER2-positive breast cancer, which is currently an unresolved issue.”
In addition to identifying a significant flaw that hinders current treatment options for breast cancer, Zhang and his research team also experimented with a new agent that displayed promising results against these tumors.
In one model, the drug, when combined with garadacimab, another type of monoclonal antibody, resulted in complete remission. In other models where The researchers discovered that the drug they tested was able to inhibit tumor growth in the brain by up to 68%. Zhang explained that this shows the drug’s ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and attack the brain tumor. The team is now in discussions with the National Cancer Institute to manufacture the drug in order to seek FDA approval and move it into clinical trials. Zhang emphasized that while the study showed promising results for the drug, the most significant impact of the research is to provide insights for other investigators on the mechanism that can be targeted in HER-positive tumors.This research aims to advance the field of cancer treatment by targeting a specific vulnerability in triple-negative breast cancer. According to Zhang, this study will pave the way for the development of new drugs to target the identified vulnerability, with their agent being just one of many potential options. Collaborators on this project include researchers from various institutions such as VCU School of Medicine, VCU School of Pharmacy, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Institute of Curie in France.
