March 27th 2024.
A groundbreaking discovery in the field of breast cancer treatment has been made by scientists. They have identified a potential way to locate and eliminate "hibernating" tumor cells, as reported in the journal Cancer Discovery.
The team of researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research in London was initially investigating the reason behind the recurrence of oestrogen receptor positive cancer. What they found was that breast cancer cells have the ability to remain inactive for many years, only to resurface and form tumors later on. This was reported by the Daily Mail.
This new finding has the potential to revolutionize the way we approach breast cancer treatment. By being able to identify these dormant cells even when they are "sleeping," we can take preventative measures to eliminate them. This would greatly reduce the need for long-term hormone therapy. The team discovered that by inhibiting the G9a enzyme, they could put a stop to the dormancy of cancer cells and effectively kill them.
Professor Luca Magnani from the Institute of Cancer Research shared, "Our goal is to understand why breast cancer recurs and find ways to prevent it from happening. We want to spare people from living in constant fear or receiving devastating news of a relapse. Our research has identified a crucial mechanism that cancer cells use to evade treatment by remaining in a dormant state, only to wake up years later and start growing rapidly. I hope that our early findings will lead to further research to target these dormant cells and give patients the assurance that their cancer will not come back without the need for years of hormone therapy."
This discovery is particularly significant for women of color. The American Cancer Society reports that Black women have the lowest five-year survival rate for breast cancer, regardless of the stage or subtype of the cancer. Breast cancer is also the leading cause of cancer death among Black women.
The implications of this discovery are immense. By being able to track the development of cancer cells and eliminate dormant ones before they can cause a relapse, we can greatly improve the chances of eradicating breast cancer for good. Dr. Simon Vincent from Breast Cancer Now, a UK-based charity, shared, "This study provides crucial insights into how cancer cells evade treatment and survive in an inactive state. We are excited to see how this will inform future research." The charity has pledged up to 1 million euros for further research into these dormant cells and potential treatment strategies to ensure that once breast cancer is eliminated, it stays gone.
In related news, a New York hospital has recently introduced a 3-D mammogram machine that may aid in the early detection of breast cancer. This is yet another step towards improving the chances of successful treatment and preventing the recurrence of this deadly disease.
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