Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A new Mayo Clinic study has identified a potential treatment for preventing the spread of a tough to treat form of breast cancer.

Mayo researchers say a drug approved to treat other forms of breast cancer has proven effective in preventing triple negative breast cancer from metastasizing. They found compounds known as CDK 4/6 inhibitors can regulate a cancer metastasis protein known as SNAIL.

CDK 4/6 inhibitors have already been approved by the FDA to treat estrogen positive breast cancer, but earlier research indicated the drug was not effective in slowing the growth of triple negative breast cancer tumors. Mayo researchers say their work confirmed that finding, but also determined the CDK 4/6 inhibitors significantly inhibit the spread of the cancer to other organs and the research suggests it may also prove effective in preventing metastasis of other cancer tumors with high levels of the SNAIL protein.

 

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