Existing medications already available through the UK's National Health Service could potentially be repurposed to combat the spread of breast cancer, according to a new study. Research suggests that an imbalance in the gut microbiome, the community of microorganisms in the digestive tract, is associated with poorer breast cancer outcomes.
Scientists at the University of Virginia believe they have identified a mechanism linking gut bacteria to cancer progression. An overgrowth of certain "bad" bacteria in the gut can lead to increased levels of bile acid, a substance produced by the liver essential for digestion. This elevated bile acid can, in turn, promote inflammation within the breast tissue, potentially fueling the growth and spread of cancerous cells.
The researchers propose that inexpensive drugs designed to reduce bile acid levels could therefore serve as a therapeutic strategy to slow the disease's advancement. Breast cancer is a prevalent cancer in the UK, affecting approximately 60,000 women annually, and becomes significantly more challenging to treat once it metastasizes, typically to the lymph nodes and lungs.
To investigate the connection between the gut and breast cancer spread, the researchers conducted experiments on mice. Subsequently, they analyzed bile acid levels in human breast cancer patients. Preliminary findings indicated that patients with advanced disease who received medication to suppress bile acid levels showed prolonged survival rates.
"Now we want to know if these existing drugs can prevent the cancer from spreading in the first place," stated co-author Dr. Melanie Rutkowski. The next phase of research will focus on determining the efficacy of these readily available drugs in preventing metastasis.