Androgens – male sex hormones – could potentially be used as a treatment for estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, a new study by Australian researchers shows.
- This new study demonstrates the effectiveness of androgen therapy on invasive breast cancers with a high risk of recurrence.
- This natural androgen treatment activates androgen receptors and has greater anti-tumor activity than existing standard treatments.
Also called hormone-dependent cancer, estrogen receptor positive breast cancer accounts for approximately 15-20% of cases, with a higher incidence in young women. More invasive, this cancer is also marked by a higher risk of relapse and greater mortality.
In addition, the response to certain chemotherapies is less good and these cancers are more resistant to anti-estrogen endocrine therapies. A new study, conducted by researchers from the University of Adelaide and the Garvan Institute (Australia), and published in NatureMedicine, however, reaffirms the positive role that certain hormonal therapies can play, and in particular androgen therapy for breast cancer. According to its authors, a treatment stimulating the androgen receptors can be more effective than existing standard treatments such as tamoxifen and Palbociclib, or even be combined with the latter to reinforce growth inhibition.
Potent anti-tumor activity
As part of the study, the research team used cell line and patient models to demonstrate that activation of androgen receptors by natural androgens or a new androgenic drug had potent anti-tumor activity. in all androgen receptor positive breast cancers, even those resistant to current standard treatments. In contrast, androgen receptor blockers had no effect.
According to Professor Theresa Hickey, head of the breast cancer group and director of the work, this research has “immediate implications for women with metastatic estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, including those resistant to current forms of endocrine therapy”.
No unwanted side effects
The researchers also found that the selective androgen receptor activating agents used not only have no adverse side effects, but can also preserve the bone, muscle and mental health of women.
“The new insights from this study should clear up the widespread confusion about the role of the androgen receptor in estrogen receptor-induced breast cancer. Given the effectiveness of this multi-stage treatment strategy the disease in our study, we hope to translate these results into clinical trials as a new class of endocrine therapy for breast cancer.”concludes Elgene Lim, breast oncologist and director of the Connie Johnson Breast Cancer Research Laboratory at the Garvan Institute, which participated in the study.
This natural androgen treatment activates androgen receptors and has greater anti-tumor activity than existing standard treatments.
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