U of S researchers working on treatment for aggressive form of breast cancer

The University of Saskatchewan says a new treatment for breast cancer could be a first for the province.

If successful, it would be the first time a cancer-related treatment is wholly developed inside Saskatchewan.

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The treatment is designed to target what's known as "triple-negative"breast cancer, the most aggressive type of the disease. Currently, there is no targeted therapy for that form of cancer.

The prospective treatment started with amolecule called EPHB6. Several years ago, a U of S research team by professors Andrew Freywald and Franco Vizeacoumar discovered that the molecule slowed aggressive growth of breast cancer. As a result, the cancer cells tend to get rid of that molecule.

After joining forces with a team from the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, it was discovered that by targeting a gene called SRCresearchers could eliminate breast cancer cells and tumours lackingEPHB6without affecting normal tissues.

"So withminimal toxicity we can achieve a therapeuticeffect," saidFreywald.

He says that the survival rate for patients withtriple-negative breast cancer is very low after five years of treatment.

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If initial trials are successful andlater implemented in clinics,Freywald believes that rates of survival will be on par with non-aggressive breast cancer tumours.

"[With] most cancer patients, we hope around 90 per cent would survive," saidFreywald.

Hope to start clinical trials

Since drugs that inhibit the SRC gene have already been approved in the U.S., the treatment can go to clinical trials right away.

Right now, the group is studying which breast cancer patients would benefit most from the treatment, as well as finding money to start the trials. The researchers are looking for $2 million in funding to bring their research into clinical trials.

"Targeted therapies are only really there for other types of breast cancer, but not fortriple-negativebreast cancer," saidVizeacoumar. "Now we can tailor the kind of treatment for this breast cancer. So patients that have lost theEPHB6 can actually be treated."

During the first series of testing, the researchers would solely test cancer patients who have tried other methods of treatment but did not respond.

If that happens, the next phase of testing could start in the next two years.