Scientists find potential way to overcome Tamoxifen resistance in some breast cancers
Many women who have a particular type of breast cancer buy Tamoxifen to slow the progression of the disease.
Many women who have a particular type of breast cancer buy Tamoxifen to slow the progression of the disease. However, not all patients respond to this drug. According to researchers from the Kimmel Cancer Center, taking a medication for leukemia chemotherapy could help individuals overcome Tamoxifen resistance.
The researchers, who published their findings in the journal Cell Cycle, reported that combining Tamoxifen with a protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor called dasatinib helps reverse the resistance caused by cancer-associated fibroblasts. Administering these treatments simultaneously helps normalize the patient's glucose intake and reduces oxidative stress in the mitochrondria, according to the scientists.
An estimated 70 percent of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have the estrogen receptor positive form of the disease, indicating that the tumor could respond to treatment with Tamoxifen. However, about 35 percent of these tumors are not affected by the drug.
"The drugs [sometimes] have no effect when they are used alone. It's in unison when they effectively kill the cancer cells in the presence of fibroblasts," said lead author Michael P. Lisanti. "This opens up the door for possible new treatment strategies."
|
