{"id":8468,"date":"2016-06-21T05:59:05","date_gmt":"2016-06-21T05:59:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kurzweilai.net\/?p=282771"},"modified":"2016-06-23T05:59:27","modified_gmt":"2016-06-23T05:59:27","slug":"holy-grail-of-breast-cancer-prevention-in-high-risk-women-may-be-in-sight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hoo.central12.com\/fugic\/2016\/06\/21\/holy-grail-of-breast-cancer-prevention-in-high-risk-women-may-be-in-sight\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Holy grail’ of breast-cancer prevention in high-risk women may be in sight"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Breast cancer formation (credit: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute)<\/p><\/div>\n

Australian researchers have discovered that an existing medication could have promise in preventing breast cancer in women carrying a faulty BRCA1<\/a><\/em> gene, who are at high risk of developing aggressive\u00a0breast cancer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Currently, many women with this mutation choose surgical removal of breast tissue and ovaries to reduce their chance of developing breast and ovarian cancer<\/a>. Notably, in May 2013, actress Angelina Jolie, who reportedly had with an estimated 87 per cent risk of breast cancer and 50 per cent risk of ovarian cancer, chose to have d2ouble mastectomy with\u00a0breast reconstruction.<\/p>\n

Women with mutation have an approximately 65% cumulative risk of developing breast cancer by age 70, the researchers note, based on a 2003 combined analysis of 22 studies.<\/p>\n

A drug option\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

But now, another option may be be possible, as 16 scientists (most in Australia) report in an advance online paper in Nature Medicine<\/em> this week.<\/p>\n

The researchers discovered that pre-cancerous cells could be identified by a marker protein called RANK. A concurrent study led by an Austrian group had also identified the importance of RANK.<\/p>\n

This was an important breakthrough, they said, because an inhibitor of the RANK signalling pathway was already in clinical use: the drug denosumab<\/em><\/a>. The researchers suggest the drug may have potential to prevent breast cancer from developing.<\/p>\n

If confirmed in\u00a0clinical studies<\/a>, this would provide a non-surgical option to prevent breast cancer in women with elevated genetic risk.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Breast cancer prevention (credit: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute)<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThis is potentially a very important discovery for women who carry a faulty BRCA1 gene, who have few other options,” said\u00a0 Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research professor\u00a0Geoffrey J. Lindeman. “Current cancer prevention strategies for these women include surgical removal of the breasts and\/or ovaries, which can have serious impacts on people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n

“To progress this work, denosumab would need to be formally tested in clinical trials in this setting as it is not approved for breast cancer prevention,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The research was published this week in Nature Medicine<\/em><\/a> and was supported by\u00a0The National Breast Cancer Foundation<\/a>, The Qualtrough Cancer Research Fund, The Joan Marshall Breast Cancer Research Fund, the\u00a0Australian Cancer Research Foundation<\/a>,\u00a0Cancer Council Victoria<\/a>, the Cancer Therapeutics Cooperative Research Centre<\/a>, an Amgen Preclinical Research Program Grant, the\u00a0National Health and Medical Research Council<\/a>, the Victorian Cancer Agency<\/a>, and the Victorian Government Operational Infrastructure Support Scheme.<\/p>\n