Long-held breast cancer theories could be inaccurate

An ongoing study has found that long-held theories about breast cancer could be inaccurate. Photo / Thinkstock

Evidence is mounting that long-held theories about breast cancer could be inaccurate.

Breast cancer has been assumed to be non-immunogenic for many years, meaning that the disease does not trigger an immune response in the body.

However, an ongoing study lead by Associate Professor Brendon Coventry of Adelaide University has found otherwise. The study compared the tissue of women suffering from breast cancer with those who did not have the disease.

It found that the immune response appeared to be activated in some breast cancer patients, where a noticeably higher count of specific white blood cells was present when compared with normal breast tissues.

"These findings indicate that the immune response appears to be already occurring in many women with breast cancer, and that the strength of that response correlates with longer-term survival," Associate Prof Coventry said.

His findings could pave the way for new research into enhanced treatment of the disease, such as immunotherapy, which has been successfully used in the management of other cancers.

"It may even then be possible to switch 'on' the immune response in women with breast cancer to transform a weak immune response into a more effective one for clinical benefit, like we have shown with melanoma and other cancers," Associate Prof Coventry said.

While research was still ongoing, Associate Prof Coventry said the findings were "significant" and could offer renewed hope to breast cancer patients and their families.

The findings of the study will be presented at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons annual scientific conference this week in Perth.