Common heart meds could help treat tough breast cancer
Researchers just found that beta-blockers—meds usually for heart issues—could actually help slow the spread of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which is one of the toughest types to treat.
The study was recently published in Science Signaling.
How beta-blockers can help
The team at Monash University discovered that stress hormones can speed up TNBC by triggering a pathway in which a gene called HOXC12 acts as a key mediator.
When they blocked this gene in the lab, the signaling interplay was stopped.
Beta-blockers work by blocking part of this pathway, so if a tumor has HOXC12, these common meds could be repurposed to help patients.
Need for clinical trials
The researchers say clinical trials are needed to see if testing for HOXC12 can guide doctors on when beta-blockers might actually boost survival rates for TNBC patients.
If it works out, it could mean more personalized—and hopefully better—treatment options down the line.