The Promise of Fatty Acid Inhibition in Improving Brain Metastases Treatment for Triple Negative Breast Cancer Patients
Recent research from the University of Michigan Health Rogel Cancer Center has uncovered a potential breakthrough in the treatment of brain metastases from triple negative breast cancer. The study, published in npj Breast Cancer, suggests that combining a fatty acid inhibitor with chemotherapy could enhance treatment efficacy for these patients.
Past studies have revealed that cancer cells in the brain microenvironment often lack access to sufficient lipids, making it crucial for them to synthesize their own lipids to survive. Dr. Nathan Merrill, assistant professor of hematology/oncology at Michigan Medicine and lead author of the study, and his team set out to exploit this metabolic vulnerability by targeting fatty acid synthase, an enzyme responsible for lipid production in triple negative breast cancer cells that have spread to the brain.
Not only did the researchers observe a potential improvement in chemotherapy effectiveness when combined with the fatty acid inhibitor, but they also noted a decrease in the cells’ ability to migrate and spread throughout the body when the inhibitor was used alone at low doses.
Triple-negative breast cancer, along with HER2-positive breast cancer, presents a high risk of metastasis to the brain, underscoring the importance of developing novel treatment strategies for these patient populations.
In their quest to evaluate the synergy between fatty acid synthase inhibitors and chemotherapy, Merrill and his team established two novel cell lines derived from a patient with brain metastases. These cell lines, originating from multiple tumor resections of the same patient, provide a valuable resource for studying the disease’s progression and response to different treatments.
Looking ahead, Merrill and his colleagues aim to delve deeper into the mechanisms underlying the impact of fatty acid synthase inhibition on metastases. They plan to leverage a brain microenvironment-mimicking chip developed in their lab to dissect the specific effects of the inhibitor on different stages of the metastatic process.
Furthermore, the researchers intend to validate their findings in mouse models, building on the safety profile established in phase 1 clinical trials of fatty acid synthase inhibition. This approach is already being explored as an adjunct therapy for HER2-positive advanced breast cancers and holds promise for improving outcomes in triple-negative breast cancer cases in the future.
While more research is needed to confirm the translational potential of these findings, Merrill expresses optimism about the prospects of advancing treatment options for patients with triple-negative breast cancer. By continuing to investigate the role of fatty acid synthase inhibition in metastatic breast cancer, the research team hopes to make meaningful strides towards enhancing patient outcomes and quality of life.
