Breast cancer affects roughly 10% of women in their lifetime and is a significant medical and societal burden. ER-negative breast cancers, which lack estrogen receptors (ER) and consequently do not react to hormone therapy, have fewer treatment choices. Moreover, triple-negative breast tumours, which lack the ER, progesterone, and HER2 receptors, are even more challenging to treat.
The discovery of new molecular mechanisms that regulate the growth of ER-negative breast cancer is warranted. This is because these mechanisms may represent novel therapeutic targets.
A research group has discovered a protein that protects against breast tumour growth and is linked to a positive prognosis in breast cancer patients. The findings could aid in the Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment Market as it could help in the development of novel medicines for difficult-to-treat kinds of breast cancer.
The team found that GIT1 levels were lower in ER-negative breast tumours than in ER-positive breast tumours. High levels of GIT1 blocked Notch signalling and protected against tumour growth in breast cancer cells. However, low levels of GIT1 accelerated tumour growth. The findings also revealed that patients with ER-negative breast cancer who have high levels of GIT1 have a better prognosis compared to those who have low levels.
Notch signalling is a cell-cell communication system that has been found to govern cell fate decisions in most body organs and at various stages of cell development. Overactive Notch signalling has previously been related to a worse prognosis in breast cancer patients.
The study's findings shed light on a mechanism that regulates the initiation and progression of breast tumours. Researchers anticipate that these findings will help guide the development of novel treatments for patients with difficult-to-treat breast cancer.
The research group actively engages with doctors treating cancer patients to focus on critical research subjects for patient care.
They want to perform research that can help patients with severe conditions. At Karolinska Institutet, the scientists have cutting-edge technologies and equipment that can help accelerate the discovery of new medicines.