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A protein has been discovered that slows the development of breast cancer
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Scientists from McGill University (USA) have identified a new substance that slows the progression of breast cancer and its metastases. The results of the study were published in the journal Clinical Investigation (JCI).
Complications in breast cancer patients are usually caused by disease progression due to cancer metastasis to other parts of the body, most commonly the bones and lungs.
The substance that provokes breast cancer metastasis turned out to be parathyroid hormone- binding protein (PTHrP), which is present in high concentrations in cancer tumors and is involved in key stages of breast cancer development: initiation, progression and metastasis.
"We hope that with these new techniques we can reduce the production of this protein, which will have an impact on reducing the incidence of breast cancer recurrence, growth and metastasis," said Dr. Richard Kremer, professor in the Department of Medicine at McGill University.
To better understand the role of PTHrP in cancer, the scientists removed the protein from the cancer site using a technique called conditional knockout, and then studied how the tumors grew. "The results showed that without PTHrP in the breast, there was an 80 to 90 percent reduction in tumor growth," says Dr. Kremer. "Removing this hormone from breast cancer sites not only stops the tumor from growing, but also stops it from spreading to other organs."
To test this strategy in patients, Dr. Kremer and his team developed monoclonal antibodies against PTHrP, molecules that mimic antibodies produced as part of the immune system’s response to foreign invaders and widely used in cancer treatment. The scientists were able to stop human breast tumors implanted in animal models from growing and metastasizing, paving the way for human clinical trials in the near future.
"This discovery is good news for people with more aggressive forms of breast cancer that do not respond to standard treatment," said Dr. Kremer. "I see good prospects for more effective treatment of this disease and an improved quality of life for a large number of patients."
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