A recent study exploring the mechanisms that enable triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells to spread easily throughout the body has shown promising developments, potentially paving the way for new treatment options.
This news could be lifesaving for the many women faced with this aggressive type of breast cancer, which makes up around 20% of cases worldwide.
During metastasis (cancer spread), cancer cells detach from the original tumour and circulate through the body, creating new tumours of the same cancer type in different locations.
Associate Professor Philip Gregory from the University of South Australia’s Centre for Cancer Biology (CCB) has been further investigating this process, seeing how TNBC cells’ molecular properties change during metastasis.
A/Prof Gregory and his team are building on past work at the CCB, which identified that previously unstudied ZCCHC24 protein is responsible for the “re-wiring” mechanism in TNBC cells.
“We have been advancing our understanding on how ZCCHC24 works to cause aggressive features,” A/Prof Gregory said.
“We now know it works by recruiting another protein and together they target a large group of genes to reprogram TNBC cells and make them more aggressive.
“We are working hard to learn details of the key molecular changes that ZCCHC24 causes within cells and we hope to have these finalised soon.
“These key experiments are currently being analysed which is very exciting to have this kind of progress.”
The future looks promising for this work, with the ultimate aim to develop an antibody against ZCCHC24.
“With this antibody, our aim is to use it on patient specimens of breast cancer,” he explained.
“This is still being tested but if successful, our plan is to examine whether ZCCHC24 levels in patients may be an indicator of their chances of developing a more aggressive disease.”
A/Prof Gregory credits funding from Australian Breast Cancer Research for helping get this project off the ground, which has now received further funding to progress his research.
“Funding from ABCR and The Hospital Research Foundation Group has been instrumental in progressing our research,” he said.
“In research it’s hard for our tomorrow to be guaranteed, so any donation from your supporters brings hope of progressing our research into the future.”
Thanks to your support, A/Prof Gregory’s progress is a step closer to finding treatments that will save lives from this deadly form of breast cancer!
