Scientists have found that a gene previously unassociated with breast cancer plays a pivotal role in the growth and progression of the triple negative form of the disease, which can be particularly deadly and with few treatment options. [s]Health Canal[/s] reports that their research, published in [s]Nature[/s], suggests that targeting the gene may be a new approach to treat the disease. ‘We are really beginning to understand what initiates the cancer and why cancer cells evade treatment,’ said co-author [b]Dr Jenny Chang, director, Houston Methodist Cancer Centre[/b]. ‘Our group learned this pathway was activated in about two-thirds of patients with this type of breast cancer, and we believe we may be able to treat the disease by manipulating elements of the pathway.’
[i]Meanwhile, women with a faulty breast cancer gene might face a greater chance of rare but deadly uterine tumours[/i], despite having their ovaries removed to lower their main cancer risks, reports [s]Health24[/s]. A study of nearly 300 women with bad BRCA1 genes found four cases of aggressive uterine cancers years after they had preventive surgery to remove their ovaries. That rate is 26 times greater than expected. Although it’s not enough evidence to change practice now, doctors say women with these gene mutations should be told of the results and consider having their uterus removed along with their ovaries. [b]Dr Karen Lu[/b] of [b]MD Anderson Cancer Centre[/b] in Houston said, however: ‘It’s important for women to have that information… but I think it's too early to strongly recommend to patients that they undergo a hysterectomy until more research confirms the finding.’
[link url=http://www.healthcanal.com/alternative-therapies/49008-triple-negative-breast-cancer-s-progression-and-relapse-pinned-to-a-gene.html]Full Health Canal report[/link]
[link url=http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature13119.html]Nature research summary[/link]
[link url=http://www.health24.com/Medical/Breast/News/Study-ties-breast-gene-to-high-risk-uterine-cancer-20140324]Full Health24 report[/link]
[link url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22193042]NCBI abstract[/link]