Up to 30% of ER+ breast cancer patients face relapse after years of hormone therapy.
Hidden Threat: The Slow-Growing Cells That Survive Treatment
A new study published in Nature Communications has uncovered a critical mechanism by which breast cancer cells evade treatment. Researchers from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and UNSW Sydney have identified a distinct survival strategy where cancer cells don't fully shut down, but instead persist through extremely slow division.
Beyond "Sleeping" Cells: A Parallel Pathway
It has long been understood that late relapse in cancer is driven by dormant cells that "wake up" after years. This research reveals an alternative pathway.
"While some cancer cells hibernate completely, the alternative pathway allows cells to survive treatment by growing extremely slowly," said UNSW Conjoint Associate Professor and senior author Dr. Liz Caldon.
The study focuses on estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer, the most common type. These slow-growing cells form micrometastases—tiny clusters that may evade detection for decades before causing a life-threatening relapse.
A New Lever for Prevention
For years, the medical community has focused on the theory of cancer cells entering a deep, reversible sleep. This study provides evidence of a parallel route where cells never fully stop dividing.
"Identifying these pathways offers a new lever to potentially prevent relapse," Dr. Caldon noted.
Instead of just looking for ways to keep cells asleep, this discovery suggests that future treatments could be designed to target the specific pathways that allow these slow-growing cells to persist.