Breast Cancer Breakthrough: New Drug Rapidly Kills Diseased Cells

New Drug Offers Hope for Women with Aggressive Breast Cancer

An "exciting" new drug, CDDD11-8, has been discovered by scientists that could potentially save the lives of women with the most aggressive form of breast cancer. Unlike chemotherapy, this pill specifically targets cancer cells, slowing their growth without affecting healthy cells. Researchers from the University of Adelaide believe that this breakthrough drug could become a game-changer for women with triple negative breast cancer, a particularly challenging type to treat.

Triple Negative Breast Cancer: What You Need to Know

Triple negative breast cancer is named as such because it lacks three key receptors found in other forms of breast cancer: the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. These receptors play a crucial role in signaling cancer cells to grow. Without them, triple negative breast cancer becomes more difficult to treat as most specific breast cancer treatments target these receptors. Around 15% of breast cancer cases are triple negative, affecting approximately 55,000 women and 400 men each year in the UK.

An Unexpected Discovery: From Blood Cancer to Breast Cancer

The latest study, published in Oncogene, explored the effectiveness of CDDD11-8 in targeting triple negative breast cancer. Originally developed to treat acute myeloid leukemia, a type of blood cancer, the drug works by suppressing cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9), a pathway that enables tumors to survive, grow, and spread by increasing protein production. In lab tests using mice and human breast tissues, researchers found that the drug successfully reduced CDK9 in triple negative breast cancer cells, suggesting its potential as a therapy for the disease.

A Promising Step Forward

Dr. Theresa Hickey, one of the researchers involved in the study, expressed optimism about the potential of CDDD11-8. She explained that the drug was able to halt the multiplication of tumor cells without affecting normal breast tissue cells in the lab. While it is still early in the development process, these initial findings suggest that inhibiting CDK9 could lead to an effective treatment for triple negative breast cancer. Further development of this new drug is now underway.

Remember that breast cancer is a serious condition, and it is important to consult with healthcare professionals for personalized advice and guidance.