Sask. researcher working on new treatment for stage 4 breast cancer
A Saskatchewan researcher is working on developing a new treatment for breast cancer, one with fewer side effects than chemotherapy.
Deborah Anderson, director of research at the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, says the new treatment is being designed for metastatic breast cancer patients — cancer that has spread to other organs in the body, known as Stage 4.
The new drug aims to target a molecule, called CLIC3, located outside of the cancer cells.
"The idea behind the drug is it targets a molecule which is secreted, so put outside the cells by cancer cells in the surrounding tissue, and it helps the cancer cells move and migrate away from the primary tumour," Anderson says.
"By inhibiting this target, we can hopefully block metastasis, or at least reduce it. There is currently no drugs to this target, so the project is to develop a drug."
The goal is for patients to use the drug before surgery, to stop the spread as soon as a patient has a diagnosis.
"This would mean that their long-term survival is going to hopefully be prolonged, hopefully they'll have fewer side effects as a result of needing less chemotherapy," Anderson tells CTV News in the University of Saskatchewan lab where the treatment is being created.
Because the drug has a specific target, Anderson says the treatment would be less harsh than chemotherapy.
The drug development is in its early stages. With any new drug, safety testing and trials need to be done before it can be approved by the FDA — a process that can a minimum of five years, Anderson estimates.
"We're very excited to be doing something that might actually positively impact patients rather than discovery research — which is interesting and knowledge-gaining and important, but to ultimately see that come to fruition would be wonderful," Anderson says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6960114.1720719697!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Trudeau says he still has 'full confidence' in Freeland, but has been talking to Carney
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he continues to have 'full confidence' in Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland, but he's also been talking to Mark Carney about entering federal politics.
Jeremy Skibicki found guilty of first-degree murder in deaths of four Indigenous women
A Manitoba judge has found confessed serial killer Jeremy Skibicki guilty of four counts of first-degree murder, determining he was not suffering from a mental disorder when he ‘mercilessly’ killed four Indigenous women.
BREAKING 'An avoidable tragedy': Calgary woman charged after dog dies in hot car
A Calgary woman is facing charges for the death of her dog, which died after being left in a hot car on Canada Day.
'Swarm of earthquakes' rattle off B.C.'s coast, no tsunami expected
Multiple earthquakes were recorded off B.C.'s coast Thursday morning, but no tsunami is expected.
Shelley Duvall, actress and iconic 'The Shining' heroine, has died
Shelley Duvall, the intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining,' has died. She was 75.
Lawsuit filed in case of teen who died after eating spicy chip as part of online challenge
A lawsuit was filed Thursday in the case of a Massachusetts teen who died after he participated in a spicy tortilla chip challenge on social media.
Rare genetic mutation turns green frog blue
Scientists in Western Australia have found a tree frog which is bright blue, rather than the usual green, due to a rare genetic mutation.
Sharon Stone lost US$18 million in savings after her 2001 stroke
In an interview with the The Hollywood Reporter, the actress talked about her 2001 stroke which resulted in a life-threatening brain bleed for nine days and a lengthy recovery.
'Where is the money at?' Police release video showing response to gunpoint home invasion north of Toronto
Police have released new video footage showing officers responding to an armed home invasion in Vaughan on Christmas Eve.