A New Target in Difficult-to-Treat Breast Cancer?

A new study identifies a gene that is especially active in aggressive subtypes of breast cancer. The research suggests that an overactive BCL11A gene drives triple-negative breast cancer development and progression.

The research, which was done in human cells and in mice, provides new routes to explore targeted treatments for this aggressive tumour type.

There are many types of breast cancers that respond differently to treatments and have different prognoses. Approximately one in five patients is affected by triple-negative breast cancer; these cancers lack three receptor proteins that respond to hormone therapies used for other subtypes of breast cancer. In recent years it has become apparent that the majority of triple-negative tumours are of the basal-like subtype.

Although new treatments are being explored, the prognosis for triple-negative cancer is poorer than for other types. To date, only a handful of genomic aberrations in genes have been associated with the development of triple-negative breast cancer.

Read the complete report: http://bit.ly/1tQ46HH