New hope for thousands of women with most aggressive breast cancer

Scientists at The University of Nottingham have identified a protein which could help predict survival outcomes for women with the most aggressive forms of breast cancer. Research funded by Breast Cancer Campaign could help predict survival outcomes for triple negative breast cancer and basal-like breast cancer — which affect up to 8,000 women each year in the UK. Breast cancer is a diverse disease consisting of distinct subgroups that respond differently to treatments. The triple-negative and basal-like subgroups of the disease, almost twice as likely to be diagnosed in black women than Caucasian women, exhibit aggressive behaviour and are more likely to spread. Unlike other forms of the disease they don't have high levels of receptors that can be targeted with treatments such as tamoxifen. Currently there are no specific therapies for either triple-negative or basal-like breast cancer. Link to survival rates.