Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particularly aggressive form of the disease as it can rapidly spread to other parts of the body. Although rarely diagnosed, researchers at Tulane University in Louisiana, US, have successfully identified a pair of genes that helps TNBC spread – and found a way to switch them off.

The researchers focused on TRAF3IP2 and Rab27a, two troublemaker genes known to contribute to tumour formation in TNBC, and soon found that blocking TRAF3IP2 shrank back existing tumours and prevented their metastasis; blocking Rab27a was also found to stop growth of a tumour, but it did still manage to spread around a little.

“Our findings show that both genes play a role in breast cancer growth and metastasis,” said Dr. Reza Izadpanah, an assistant professor of medicine at Tulane University. “While targeting Rab27a delays progression of tumour growth, it fails to affect the spread of tiny amounts of cancer cells, or micrometastasis.

“On the contrary, targeting TRAF3IP2 suppresses tumour growth and spread, and interfering with it both shrinks pre-formed tumours and prevents additional spread. This exciting discovery has revealed that TRAF3IP2 can play a role as a novel therapeutic target in breast cancer treatment.”

The researchers are now working on getting FDA approval and hope to begin clinical trials soon.