Women who carry the BRCA gene mutation, a condition associated with a high risk of breast and ovarian cancer, could soon have a less invasive treatment option, thanks to a significant drug breakthrough.
New research from the University of Cambridge suggests that drugs commonly used in the late stages of breast cancer could be effective in preventing the disease in healthy people carrying the mutated BRCA genes.
Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie, in 2013, made headlines when she revealed her decision to undergo a double mastectomy after testing positive for mutations in the BRCA1 gene.
This preventative surgery is a common choice for women at high risk of cancer due to BRCA gene mutations. However, this new research may offer a non-surgical alternative for those with these gene mutations.
The Cambridge study found that immune cells in the breast tissue of healthy women carrying faulty BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes showed signs of “exhaustion,” a condition usually seen in late-stage tumors.
This malfunction indicates that the immune cells may not be clearing damaged cells effectively, which can eventually lead to cancer.
Professor Walid Khaled, a senior study author, mentioned that existing immunotherapy drugs could potentially overcome this block in immune cell function.
He said, “We’re very excited about this discovery because it opens up the potential for a preventative treatment other than surgery for carriers of BRCA breast cancer gene mutations.”
These drugs, though approved for late-stage cancer, have yet to be considered for preventive use due to their serious side effects. The research team is now working on pre-clinical models to determine a safe dosage before moving to human studies.
The NHS estimates that between 65% and 85% of women with a BRCA1 mutation and between 40% and 85% with a BRCA2 mutation will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime.
The new approach could reduce the need for surgeries such as mastectomies or oophorectomies, which remove breast or ovarian tissue, respectively, to lower cancer risk.
Cancer Research UK has granted the Cambridge team a Biology to Prevention Award to test the method in mice, focusing on side effects and safe dosages. After that, a pilot clinical trial could be conducted with women who carry BRCA gene mutations.
Dr. Simon Vincent, director of research, support, and influence at Breast Cancer Now, emphasized the importance of this research: “The best weapon we could have against breast cancer is the ability to stop it from occurring in the first place.
This research suggests that we could prevent some women with altered genes from developing the disease by using drugs currently approved for treatment in the late stages of breast cancer.”
He noted that while more research is required, the findings represent a significant step forward in the care and treatment of people with an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
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