Targeting breast cancer STEM cells – finally

Dr. Weeks’ Comment:  Has your oncologist heard of cancer STEM cells which “have the ability to regrow the tumor?  Has he or she heard of Sulforadex?  Finally some oncologist are targeting the lethal cancer STEM cell which we doctors using Corrective Cancer Care have been targeting for almost a decade

“…Sulforadex helps overcome resistance to routinely used hormonal treatments by targeting the cancer stem cell population…..However, the researchers have shown that cancer stem cells which cause tumours to regrow and spread do not express the ER. Thus, these stem cells aren’t inhibited by the standard treatments and have the ability to regrow the tumor…. This targets both the estrogen-sensitive cells and the remaining cancer stem cells at the same time…”

Note: it is a mis-statement to say  “stem cells aren’t inhibited by the standard treatments”.   In fact,  chemotherapy and radiation make your cancer worse because these conventional treatments make your cancer STEM cells “more numerous and more virulent.”

 

New drug combination shows promise for breaking breast cancer resistance

New drug combination shows promise for breaking breast cancer resistance
Sulforadex. Credit: Evgen Pharma

Researchers from The University of Manchester working with drug development company Evgen Pharma, have developed a new combination of drugs which could overcome treatment resistance and relapse in breast cancer.

In research to be revealed at the American Association of Cancer Research annual conference on Monday, the researchers show that in the most common type of breast cancer, affecting 70% of patients, the drug Sulforadex helps overcome resistance to routinely used hormonal treatments by targeting the cancer stem cell population.

While most women initially respond well to hormonal treatment with drugs such as tamoxifen, many go on to develop resistance and . There is evidence that this is often due to activation of the Wnt signalling pathway, a gene involved in development which fuels the growth of the tumour.

Around 70% of breast cancers express the ‘estrogen receptor’ (ER) and typical treatment focuses on reducing estrogen levels or blocking ER function. However, the researchers have shown that cancer stem cells which cause tumours to regrow and spread do not express the ER. Thus, these stem cells aren’t inhibited by the standard treatments and have the ability to regrow the tumour.

The new combination therapy, tested in lab studies by the Manchester scientists, combines Evgen’s Wnt pathway-suppressing , Sulforadex with standard hormonal treatments. This targets both the estrogen-sensitive cells and the remaining cancer stem cells at the same time.

Dr Robert Clarke from the University’s Institute of Cancer Sciences said: “The hormonal therapies we use today are very good at treating breast cancer tumours driven by estrogen.

“However, they don’t completely solve the problem. This combination of drugs potentially allows us to target estrogen-sensitive cells, whilst also mopping up the cells which cause .”

The study was carried out in lab samples of treatment resistant cells from . The next step will be to recruit patients for a trial in the next few months.

Dr David Howat, Head of Research and Development at Evgen Pharma said: “We are really excited about the data presented at the AACR. Dr Rob Clarke and his excellent research team have demonstrated the efficacy of Sulforadex in patient derived cancer tissues in vitro and, importantly, in an in vivo setting.

“We now intend to extend this collaboration and advance Sulforadex into a clinical trial with  patients.”

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *