Researchers at the University of Adelaide have found new evidence about the positive role of androgens in the treatment of breast cancer with immediate effect on women with metastatic disease under the guidance of estrogen receptors.
Published today in Natural Medicine, the international study, conducted in collaboration with the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, looked at the role of androgens – commonly thought of as male sex hormones but also found at lower levels in women – as a potential treatment for estrogen receptor. advanced breast cancer.
In normal breast development, estrogen stimulates and androgen inhibits growth in adolescence and throughout adult life. Excessive estrogen activity is responsible for most breast cancers, but the role of androgen activity in this disease has been controversial.
Androgens have historically been used to treat breast cancer, but knowledge of hormone receptors in breast cancer was basic at the time and the effectiveness of the treatment was not understood. Androgen therapy was discontinued due to virilizing side effects and anti-estrogenic endocrine disruptors.
While endocrine therapy is the standard of care for advanced estrogen receptor breast cancer, resistance to these drugs is the leading cause of breast cancer mortality.
Professor Wayne Tilley, Director of the Cancer Research Laboratory Dame Roma Mitchell, and Associate Professor Theresa Hickey, Head of the Breast Cancer Group, who led the study say the need for too much -other treatment strategies on renewed interest in androgen therapy for breast cancer.
However, previous studies had yielded controversial evidence on how best to therapeutically target the androgen receptor for the treatment of breast cancer, which caused widespread confusion and hindered clinical application.
Using cell-line and patient-based models, a global team, comprising researchers at the University of Adelaide and the Garvan Institute, showed that androgen receptor activity with a natural androgen or a new androgenic drug had strong anti-tumor activity. in all estrogen receptors positive. breast cancers, even those that are against conventional home care therapies. In contrast, androgen receptor antagonists had no effect.
“This work has an immediate impact on women with metastatic breast cancer of estrogen receptors, including those who oppose conventional forms of endocrine therapy,” said Associate Professor Theresa Hickey.
“We provide strong new experimental evidence that androgen receptor stimulating drugs may be more effective than conventional (eg Tamoxifen) or new (eg Palbociclib) medications and, in the latter, can be combined to prevent put on growth. , “Professor Tilley added.
In addition, currently available active androgen receptor activators do not have the undesirable side effects of natural androgens, and can provide benefits to women including bone, muscle and bone stimulation. mental health.
“The new insights from this study should clarify the widespread controversy over the role of the androgen receptor in estrogen receptor-directed breast cancer. Given the effectiveness of this treatment strategy at several levels of the disease in our study, we hope to translate these results into clinical. trials as a new class of endocrine therapy for breast cancer, “said Professional Professor Elgene Lim, breast oncologist and Head of Breast Cancer Research Laboratory Connie Johnson at the Garvan Institute.
Dr. Stephen Birrell, a breast cancer specialist and pioneer in androgens and women’s health who was part of the Adelaide-based team, pointed out that this positive discovery has an application outside of breast cancer treatment, including prevention of breast cancer and treatment of other disorders also led by estrogen.
Chloe Marshall, 33, still has breast cancer when she is pregnant with her second child. She said endocrine therapy has devastating side effects and there was an urgent need for better options to prevent and treat breast cancer recurrence.
“I was diagnosed with hormone positive breast cancer in July 2017 and later found out I had carried the BRACA gene. I went through double mastectomy and chemotherapy or adjuvant and then two years of hormone suppressive treatment. It ‘s the hormone suppressive treatment I’ve experienced on one of the hardest parts of cancer. The effects on your mind / life / body are very challenging, “she said.
“Now, three years later, I discovered recurrent cancer while I’m 25 weeks pregnant. The thought of getting hormone suppressive treatment for another five to ten years is awful. I think the This study of patients like myself hopes there is hope for another response to life after the cancer diagnosis, “she said.
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This story was published from a wire group group with no text changes. Only the headline has changed.
