Health and Me

Ishita Srivastava

Scientists Unveil Powerful Antibody Against Deadliest Breast Cancer

Triple-negative <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/breast-cancer">breast cancer</a> (TNBC) is an aggressive type of invasive breast <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/cancer">cancer</a> and is known to be one of the deadliest versions of the disease as it can grow and spread faster, has fewer treatment options and tends to have a worse prognosis than its counterparts.

Moreover, TNBC cancer tumors lacks the hormone receptors that allow many other breast cancers to be treated with targeted drugs. While some patients initially respond to therapy, the disease frequently returns and is often more resistant the second time. 

However, scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina have now developed an antibody that can potentially slow the growth of primary tumors, reduce the spread of cancer to the lungs and revive immune cells that normally attack cancer. 

Initial testing also showed that this experimental treatment also killed cancer cells that no longer responded to chemotherapy.

MUSC surgical resident Dr Lillian Hsu <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260122074030.htm" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow noreferrer" rel= "noopener nofollow noreferrer" target= "_blank">said</a>: "TNBC is so hard to treat, and so many therapies come with serious toxicities, so finding a way to activate the immune system without adding new side effects is especially meaningful."

Initially, the scientists recognized a protein called secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2), which helps cancerous tumours thrive by encouraging the formation of new blood vessels, preventing cancer cells from dying and weakening immune cells that would otherwise help eliminate the disease.

Dr Nancy Klauber-DeMore, a breast surgical oncologist who co-leads the Developmental Cancer Therapeutics Research Program at Hollings and spent 20 years analyzing SFRP2, said: "My lab first identified the role of SFRP2 in breast cancer in 2008. Since then, we've discovered its mechanism of action in breast cancer growth, metastasis and immune exhaustion and developed an antibody to block SFRP2.

"This is the first time anyone has demonstrated that SFRP2 is expressed on tumor-associated macrophages. That finding alone opens up an entirely new way of understanding and potentially manipulating the immune microenvironment."

The animal study, which was published in Breast Cancer Research, focused on building an antibody that counteracts the effects of SFRP2 and as a result, slows the development of TNBC. 

After multiple treatments were tested on mice, the scientists found that their antibody helps retrain the immune system to respond to cancer at later stages as well as strengthen immune defenses that are typically weakened in cancer and potentially improve responses to immunotherapy.

<h2>Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: What You Should Know</h2>

<ul><li>A new lump or mass in your breast</li><li>Breast pain or nipple pain</li><li>Dimpled breast skin</li><li>Nipple discharge</li><li>A nipple turning inward</li><li>Nipple or breast skin that’s dry, flaking, thickened or red</li><li>Swelling in all or part of your breast</li><li>Swollen lymph nodes under your arm or near your collarbone</li></ul>Once a breast cancer diagnosis has been made using imaging tests and a biopsy, the cancer cells will be checked for certain proteins. If the cells do not hold any estrogen or progesterone receptors (ER or PR) as well as lack the HER2 protein, the cancer is considered to be triple-negative breast cancer.

According to the Cleaveland Clinic, the  overall survival rate for women with TNBC is about 77 percent as likely as females who don’t have TNBC to live for at least five years after receiving a diagnosis.

While surgery is the most common form of treatment for TNBC, oncologists may also recommend chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy and antibody drug conjugates. 

TNBC accounts for about 10-15 percent of all breast cancer cases and tends to be more common in women younger than age 40 and those who have a BRCA1 mutation.

Health Conditions A-Z

health

Breast Cancer

Triple negative breast cancer

immune system

Cancer

chemotherapy

immunotherapy

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Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive type of invasive breast cancer and is known to be one of the deadliest versions of the disease as it can grow and spread faster, has fewer treatment options and tends to have a worse prognosis than its counterparts.Moreover, TNBC cancer tumors lacks the hormone receptors that allow many other breast cancers to be treated with targeted drugs. While some patients initially respond to therapy, the disease frequently returns and is often more resistant the second time. However, scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina have now developed an antibody that can potentially slow the growth of primary tumors, reduce the spread of cancer to the lungs and revive immune cells that normally attack cancer. Initial testing also showed that this experimental treatment also killed cancer cells that no longer responded to chemotherapy.MUSC surgical resident Dr Lillian Hsu said: "TNBC is so hard to treat, and so many therapies come with serious toxicities, so finding a way to activate the immune system without adding new side effects is especially meaningful."How Does The Antibody Work?Initially, the scientists recognized a protein called secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2), which helps cancerous tumours thrive by encouraging the formation of new blood vessels, preventing cancer cells from dying and weakening immune cells that would otherwise help eliminate the disease.Dr Nancy Klauber-DeMore, a breast surgical oncologist who co-leads the Developmental Cancer Therapeutics Research Program at Hollings and spent 20 years analyzing SFRP2, said: "My lab first identified the role of SFRP2 in breast cancer in 2008. Since then, we've discovered its mechanism of action in breast cancer growth, metastasis and immune exhaustion and developed an antibody to block SFRP2."This is the first time anyone has demonstrated that SFRP2 is expressed on tumor-associated macrophages. That finding alone opens up an entirely new way of understanding and potentially manipulating the immune microenvironment."The animal study, which was published in Breast Cancer Research, focused on building an antibody that counteracts the effects of SFRP2 and as a result, slows the development of TNBC. After multiple treatments were tested on mice, the scientists found that their antibody helps retrain the immune system to respond to cancer at later stages as well as strengthen immune defenses that are typically weakened in cancer and potentially improve responses to immunotherapy. Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: What You Should KnowSymptoms for TNBC include:A new lump or mass in your breastBreast pain or nipple painDimpled breast skinNipple dischargeA nipple turning inwardNipple or breast skin that’s dry, flaking, thickened or redSwelling in all or part of your breastSwollen lymph nodes under your arm or near your collarboneOnce a breast cancer diagnosis has been made using imaging tests and a biopsy, the cancer cells will be checked for certain proteins. If the cells do not hold any estrogen or progesterone receptors (ER or PR) as well as lack the HER2 protein, the cancer is considered to be triple-negative breast cancer.According to the Cleaveland Clinic, the  overall survival rate for women with TNBC is about 77 percent as likely as females who don’t have TNBC to live for at least five years after receiving a diagnosis.While surgery is the most common form of treatment for TNBC, oncologists may also recommend chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy and antibody drug conjugates. TNBC accounts for about 10-15 percent of all breast cancer cases and tends to be more common in women younger than age 40 and those who have a BRCA1 mutation.