INTO TOMORROW’S TREATMENTS Collaborating on an innovative approach to chemo-resistant breast cancer Imagine scientists discovering a way to help patients with advanced breast cancer that has become resistant to chemotherapy. That’s just one of the potential outcomes of groundbreaking research being conducted at the University of Chicago Medicine, where scientific discoveries are being translated into leading-edge care for patients.
In reviewing other studies, Conzen found that the GR was overexpressed in 40 percent of breast cancers. This led her to theorize that the GR activates a tumor cell survival pathway, making it resistant to chemotherapy. To test this theory, Conzen and Nanda designed a trial for patients with advanced breast cancer.
Nanda and Conzen predict the “Mifepristone is an FDA-approved approach may provide a significant medication used for emergency benefit for patients with triplecontraception. Mifepristone, however, negative breast cancer, an aggressive is also a powerful blocker of GR subtype of breast cancer found at activity,” Nanda explained. “The goal a higher rate in young women and of our study is to see if combining women of African ancestry. mifepristone with standard chemotherapy can improve outcomes for “The ultimate goal of this study is to patients with advanced breast cancer.” improve outcomes for patients with advanced breast cancer,” Nanda said. To support this work, Nanda and The collaboration between physician“If we can do that while maintaining Conzen applied for funding from the scientist Suzanne D. Conzen, MD, quality of life, then we will have University of Chicago’s Institute for and clinical researcher Rita Nanda, MD, accomplished something incredibly stems from Conzen’s ongoing research Translational Medicine (ITM). significant.” In November 2011, Nanda’s project on stress signaling pathways in cells was awarded funding to begin a and their role in cancer. phase 1 clinical trial to determine OPEN FOR PARTICIPANTS Resistance to conventional the appropriate dose of mifepristone chemotherapy is a problem patients to combine with the chemotherapy with metastatic breast cancer This study is currently open to drug nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane). eventually face. Conzen, an expert qualified patients who are interested Nanda enrolled the first patient in in the treatment of breast cancer, in enrolling in the clinical trial. If the study in January 2012, and to has been studying chemotherapy you have advanced breast cancer date a total of eight patients have resistance since opening her lab and have not received Abraxane joined the study. in 1998. She observed that the (paclitaxel) in previous treatments, stress hormone cortisol activates you may be eligible to participate. the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) Contact intake coordinator pathway and contributes to Romella Lee at 1-773-702-8222 chemotherapy resistance in a or romella.lee@uchospitals.edu subset of breast cancers. for more information.
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