New treatment avenue identified for breast cancer
Researchers at the CHUM Research Centre (CRCHUM) and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Australia have identified a new avenue for treating breast cancer.
In 20% to 30% of breast cancer patients, the over-expression of a particular protein (human epidermal growth factor-2) is the main cause of the proliferation of cancer cells. Over the past few years Herceptin (trastuzumab, from Roche) has become the standard treatment for this kind of cancer. While it is known that it blocks the activity of this protein, its exact mechanism of action has remained a mystery.
John Stagg, a CRCHUM researcher, Mark Smyth, with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Australia, and their colleagues have discovered that in addition to blocking cell proliferation, Herceptin also stimulates the production of interferons, which in turn activate immune cells called lymphocytes.
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