(Ivanhoe Newswire) – Breast cancer, the second leading cancer to cause death in American women, may have met its match. Researchers at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 36th Annual Scientific Meeting in Chicago, Ill. have identified a promising new treatment that may delay the growth and spread of breast cancer tumors.

The treatment combines blocking enzymes needed to "energize" cancer cells, with infusing a potent drug directly into the tumor. The combinations of these strategies involve little exposure to healthy tissues.

“Once breast cancer metastases have been detected, current treatments (such as surgical resection or tumor removal) may be ineffective," Jeff H. Geschwind, M.D., FSIR, a professor of radiology, surgery and oncology and director of vascular and interventional radiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, was quoted as saying. "We've found a way to keep a breast cancer tumor dormant—thus potentially increasing the likelihood that a tumor can be treated successfully… Our study shows that an ultrasound-guided intra-tumoral treatment with a drug called 3-bromopyruvate (3-BrPA) may be a very promising new therapy for patients with breast cancer that delays tumor growth and spread."

An estimated 207,090 women were diagnosed, and 39,840 women died from breast cancer in 2010. With these staggering statistics, there is no doubt that early detection is the key in fighting the disease. On average, from the time the cancer is detected, patients will only have 18 to 24 months to live. Using chemotherapy and radiation therapy treatments does not guarantee that the cancer will not return.

“The development of new treatment options for this lethal disease is imperative,” Geschwind said.

The researchers discovered that Glycosis is needed to generate malignant growth in the breast cancer tumors. By blocking certain enzymes with an anti-glycolytic agent (3-BrPA) the growth and spread of the tumors was inhibited. In animal studies, the research team had shown how interventional radiologists could use their basic understanding of science, combined with their experience in minimally invasive treatments to find a means of using tumor metabolism as a target for breast cancer therapy.

Using radiological imaging as a guide, the researchers were able to infuse the maximum amount of the anti-glycotic agent into the tumors, with minimal exposure of healthy tissue to the therapy.

“In our study, a statistically significant difference in tumor volume was observed. Our results support the continuing development of this highly innovative interventional radiology approach for the safe and effective treatment of breast cancer. Before we can test our novel treatment strategy in individuals with breast cancer, it is important to perform additional animal studies of a larger size to confirm the efficacy of the treatment and to verify that there are no toxic effects on the normal tissues,” Geschwind said.

SOURCE: Society of Interventional Radiology, March 29, 2011