Student in world first with breast cancer drug research

An Irish student has secured a world first with her research into a way of boosting the effectiveness of chemotherapy for breast cancer patients.

Patricia Cleary, a PhD student at NUI Galway, is the only researcher in the world testing a new drug that aims to stop cancer cells building up a resistance to chemotherapy treatment.

Her study, funded by the Irish Cancer Society, is probing how a protein in cancer cells, called XBP1s, helps the cells survive the onslaught of chemotherapy drugs.

“Initial findings from my study are very positive and show that if I take the survival factor away, the cells grow much slower and that it may aid current chemotherapeutic drugs to kill breast cancer more efficiently,” Ms Cleary said.

“While the research is only in its early stages, I believe if we continue to see such positive results with this drug it will eventually allow us to create treatments that can be used alongside chemotherapy to increase the likelihood of patient survival.”

The Irish Cancer Society has invested €120,000 in the project and its head of research, Professor John Fitzpatrick, said he was encouraged by the findings.

“We continue to make significant advances in breast cancer research at home and internationally with access to new and novel drugs for exploratory research that we hope will one day lead to improved treatment for patients,” he said.

The news comes during Breast Cancer Awareness Month which the charity is using to highlight that one in 10 Irish women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. Women in particular are being urged to organise “Get The Girls” events to raise funds for breast cancer research.

www.getthegirls.ie