Think Pinker

The Notch activity (Stem cell expansion) in breast cancer occurs and it is these stem cells that are involved in therapy resistance and it is also these stem cells that can be responsible for cancer tumours reoccurring.

But according to the Times of India a recent study at the Thomas Jefferson University used mice and what they discovered was that cyclin d1 was necessary for the breast cancer to grow in mice.

Because researchers are already aware that cyclin d1 is over-expressed in breast cancer in women, they believe the study showed that cyclin d1 does in fact play a role in the growth of breast cancer tumours. It is actually this theory that is behind the therapies that target stem cells that are cancerous, in hopes of eliminating or at best reducing the re-occurrence of the cancer cells.

Researchers already know that cancer is a result of multiple genetic lesions that accumulate and eventually result in a cell cycle that’s no longer regulated, and the Notch activity is detrimental to healthy cell development. This new therapy has the potential to regulate the Notch activity and thus reduce the re-occurrence of tumours.

Although this therapy isn’t ready to make it to market yet, there’s definitely a lot of promise here for future treatments.