Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) have developed a new experimental drug that could bring hope to people with one of the most difficult types of breast cancer to treat — triple-negative breast cancer.
This type of breast cancer is known for spreading quickly, coming back after treatment, and being resistant to many existing drugs.
It makes up about 15% of all breast cancer cases and is especially dangerous because it does not respond to common hormone-based treatments like many other breast cancers do.
Currently, people diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer often rely on surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, but these methods are not always effective, especially in advanced cases. That’s why researchers have been searching for a new way to fight this disease, and this new molecule, called SU212, may be a major step forward.
The study, recently published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine, shows that SU212 can block the activity of an enzyme called enolase 1, or ENO1. This enzyme helps cancer cells use glucose (sugar) to grow and survive.
Normally, ENO1 is part of the body’s natural process of turning glucose into energy. However, in cancer cells, it becomes overactive, helping the tumor to grow and spread. By targeting and disabling this enzyme, the new drug stops cancer cells from using energy effectively, which slows down their growth.
To test the drug, scientists used mice that had been genetically modified to develop human-like tumors. They found that when the mice were given SU212, their tumors grew much more slowly and were less likely to spread to other parts of the body.
The researchers discovered that SU212 binds to ENO1 and triggers it to break down, removing its harmful effects. As a result, the cancer’s ability to use glucose for energy was greatly reduced, and the tumor became weaker.
Dr. Sanjay V. Malhotra, the senior author of the study and co-director of the Center for Experimental Therapeutics at OHSU’s Knight Cancer Institute, explained that this discovery could open the door to new cancer treatments.
He said, ‘Triple-negative breast cancer is very aggressive, and there are currently no effective drugs available. This is an important step forward.’ Dr. Malhotra believes that SU212 could also help treat other cancers that depend on the same enzyme, including brain cancer (glioma), pancreatic cancer, and thyroid cancer.
Interestingly, the study also suggests that the drug might be especially helpful for people who have both cancer and metabolic diseases such as diabetes.
Because ENO1 is related to how the body processes glucose, targeting it could have a dual benefit—reducing tumor growth while also affecting how glucose is managed in the body. This could lead to more personalized and effective treatment options for people who face both health challenges.
The journey toward turning SU212 into a real treatment is still at an early stage. Before it can be tested in humans, researchers need to complete more studies and seek approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical trials.
This process takes time, money, and extensive safety testing, but the early results are encouraging. Dr. Malhotra, who joined OHSU in 2020 after working at Stanford University and the National Cancer Institute, said his team’s goal is to move discoveries from the lab into hospitals as quickly as possible so patients can benefit sooner.
Overall, this research highlights a promising new way to attack cancers that have long been considered difficult to treat. By cutting off the cancer’s energy supply, scientists hope to weaken it and stop its spread.
If further research confirms these results, SU212 could become part of a new generation of drugs that target the metabolism of cancer cells rather than just trying to kill them directly. While there is still much to learn, this study offers real hope for people fighting one of the toughest forms of breast cancer.
If you care about breast cancer, please read studies about how eating patterns help ward off breast cancer, and soy and plant compounds may prevent breast cancer recurrence.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how your grocery list can help guard against cancer, and a simple way to fight aging and cancer.
The study is published in Cell Reports Medicine.
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