Protein offers help to women suffering from deadly form of breast cancer

A naturally-occurring protein may offer hope for the thousands of women with one of the deadliest forms of breast cancer.

Tinagl1 - a protein found in the kidneys - suppressed the growth of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in the lab, the Daily Mail reports, citing a study.

Scientists discovered it targets the signals that encourage the disease to spread and thrive.

TNBC tumours lack the three most common receptors that both fuel breast cancer and respond to common hormonal therapies, such as the drug tamoxifen, making this form of the disease particularly difficult to treat.

The research was carried out by Princeton University and led by Professor Yibin Kang, from the department of molecular biology.  

'People have tried to block the spread of this form of cancer but attempts so far have failed because if you try one approach, the cancer cells compensate by finding a way to escape,' he said. 

Breast cancer affects around one in eight women in the US and UK at some point in their lives. Of which, 15 per cent will have TNBC. 

TNBC tumours lack oestrogen and progesterone, as well as the protein HER-2. 

This means treatments that target these hormones and protein are ineffective, but chemotherapy is still an option. 

The research was carried out by Princeton University and led by Professor Yibin Kang, from the department of molecular biology.  

“People have tried to block the spread of this form of cancer but attempts so far have failed because if you try one approach, the cancer cells compensate by finding a way to escape,” he said. 

Breast cancer affects around one in eight women in the US and UK at some point in their lives. Of which, 15 per cent will have TNBC. 

TNBC tumours lack oestrogen and progesterone, as well as the protein HER-2. 

This means treatments that target these hormones and protein are ineffective, but chemotherapy is still an option.