An existing drug could be used to treat ‘aggressive’ forms of breast cancer - new research explained
A cancer drug that has already been approved could be used to treat more aggressive forms of breast cancer, new research has found.
In a study funded by Breast Cancer Now, researchers have identified a specific defect in some triple-negative breast cancers which a pre-existing drug could help to treat.
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Led by Dr Rachael Natrajan at The Institute of Cancer Research, the research discovered a way to identify triple-negative breast tumours that could be more likely to respond to a class of drugs called CDK4/6 inhibitors, including palbociclib.
Palbociclib is currently used to treat other breast cancers that have spread to a different part of the body.
However, this new study has found there is potential to use the drug to treat around a fifth of people living with triple-negative breast cancer.
While it will take several years to carry out clinical trials to prove the effectiveness, if these are successful, CDK4/6 inhibitors could be given as treatment within five years.
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