CDK 4/6 Drug Can Stop Breast Cancer Cells From Spreading

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In a recent study, researchers have found drugs that the enzyme pathway called CDK 4/6 or also known as CDK 4/6 inhibitors can prevent the spread of a triple negative breast cancer cells in many models.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women next to skin cancer. According to Medical News Today, this year, there will be approximately 252,710 new cases of breast cancer in the United States and around 40,610 will die from the disease.

There are several types of breast cancers, one of those is the Estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer or the ER-positive breast cancer. This is the most common form of breast cancer that contains estrogen hormone receptors that promotes cancer growth.

Likewise, progesterone receptor-positive or the PR-positive breast cancer contains progesterone that also enhances cancer growth. While the human epidermal growth factor receptor positive breast cancer or HER2-positive breast cancer, possess may receptors for the HER2 gene which aggravate the disease.

Per Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation or TNBC, the ER-positive, PR-positive and the HER2 breast cancers are generally diagnosed based on the hormone receptors present or lacking in the cancer cells.

However, in the diagnosis of the Triple Negative Breast Cancer, these three receptors are absent. This means that the offending tumor is estrogen receptor-negative, progesterone receptor-negative and HER2 negative. The triple negative breast cancer can aggressively and more likely to return than other subtype of cancers.

Dr. Matthew Goetz and colleagues, the research team of the study, said that in previous research shows that CDK 4/6 inhibitors are ineffective in reducing the growth of cancer cells in triple-negative breast cancer. But, the team found in the new study that even if CDK 4/6 inhibitors may be ineffective to reduce the growth of the cancer cell, it may be effective for halting the spread of cancer cells to the areas of the body or otherwise known as metastases, in triple-negative breast cancer.

Thus, the results of the study indicate that CDK 4/6 inhibitors may be beneficial for patients with triple-negative breast cancer.