Julio Aguirre-Ghiso, PhD. Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Ross Levine, MD. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Investigators Julio Aguirre-Ghiso, PhD and Ross Levine, MD have uncovered a previously hidden risk factor for breast cancer metastasis linked to aging. They found that clonal hematopoiesis (CH)—age-related mutations in blood-forming cells—can drive inflammation that reawakens dormant cancer cells. Furthermore, early clinical studies show that women over age 60 with advanced hormone receptor–positive or HER2-positive breast cancer and CH, respond less well to standard treatments.
By identifying CH mutations such as DNMT3A, the researchers are demonstrating how altered immune cells can promote cancer spread. Together, these findings position CH as both a marker of metastatic risk and a promising drug target.
Their research was recently awarded a new Department of Defense grant to accelerate efforts to develop strategies that may prevent metastasis and improve outcomes for patients.
