INDIANAPOLIS — A study co-led by an Indiana University School of Medicine researcher could form the basis of a new way to contain triple-negative breast cancer, a fast-spreading, deadly disease known for its treatment difficulties.
The research, recently published in Experimental Hematology and Oncology, found the drug candidate Ifetroban blocked triple-negative breast cancer cells from physically binding with platelets in mouse and zebrafish models, thus stopping the cancer’s spread to other organs. A drug candidate is a molecule that has shown potential for treating specific diseases and has been selected for further development in the drug discovery process.
"This compound does not destroy the main tumor in the breast — chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery is still needed for that, but it will stop any remaining breast cancer cells from spreading away from the breast tissue," said Yann Gibert, PhD, a professor of medical and molecular genetics at the IU School of Medicine and a researcher with the IU Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Triple-negative breast cancer is difficult to treat, Gibert said, because it does not contain the three common breast cancer biomarkers: estrogen, progesterone or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. This gives doctors less treatment options, with chemotherapy being the most common choice made.
"Triple-negative breast cancer also grows and spreads faster than many other breast cancers, and it has a higher chance of coming back in the first few years after treatment," Gibert said. "It is also more common in younger women, Black women and people with BRCA1 genetic mutations. This makes it more aggressive and dangerous than other forms of breast cancer."
Ifetroban is currently being studied in humans as a treatment for a variety of diseases. Because of this, researchers already know what a safe dose is, and thus moving the research into human clinical trials would be easier, Gibert said.
"Ifetroban could be used as an adjuvant therapy, a treatment given after the main treatment to reduce the risk of cancer re-occurrence — after the first round of chemotherapy or after surgery removes the main breast tumor," Gibert said. "Its purpose would be to help prevent any remaining cancer cells from spreading to other parts of the body."
Because Ifetroban does not kill any cells, its side effects are milder than other cancer treatments.
The research was conducted by a team of scientists from the University of Mississippi Medical Center and the University of Mississippi, led by Gibert and Thomas A. Werfel. Gibert performed most of his work on the project at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, prior to joining the IU School of Medicine.
The project received grant funding from the American Cancer Society, National Institutes of Health and other sources.
About the Indiana University School of Medicine
The IU School of Medicine is the largest medical school in the U.S. and is annually ranked among the top medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The school offers high-quality medical education, access to leading medical research and rich campus life in nine Indiana cities, including rural and urban locations consistently recognized for livability. According to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, the IU School of Medicine ranks No. 13 in 2024 National Institutes of Health funding among all public medical schools in the country.
Writer: Rory Appleton, rapplet@iu.edu
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