New target for hormone therapy resistance

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Princess Margaret breast cancer research finds new drug target companion prognostic test for hormone therapy resistance

(TORONTO, Canada – April 1, 2013) – A team of international cancer researchers led by Dr. Mathieu Lupien at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, has identified the signalling pathway that is over-activated in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer cells that are resistant to hormone therapies such as tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors or fulvestrant. ...The team discovered that the Notch signaling pathway plays the predominant role in drug-resistant breast cancer cells even if cells remain positive for ER...."This is a highly promising discovery that could rapidly translate in the clinic. Drugs against the Notch pathway are available." says Dr. Lupien. The key will be to test the efficacy of these drugs against hormone therapy resistance in breast cancer.