It is possible to detect and treat dormant breast cancer cells, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine and the Abramson Cancer Center found.
The study's revelation could lead to a cure for the 30% of breast cancer survivors who experience recurrence of the disease, according to an Oct. 23 news release.
Right now, research is still in early stages with the positive results coming from a phase 2 clinical trial, but the Department of Defense awarded $10 million for furthering research efforts.
"The dormant/latency phase is an opportune window to intervene because we've found that these dormant cells are sensitive to drugs that don't work against actively growing cancer cells," Lewis Chodosh, MD, PhD, professor at the Perelman School of Medicine and a principal investigator on the grant, stated in the release. "Contrary to current thinking, drugs that are not effective against metastatic disease may be highly effective when used during the dormant phase of disease."