Cells in breast tumor microenvironment may reveal who benefits most from hormone treatment
The types of cells in the microenvironment of a breast tumor may affect how well the hormone therapy tamoxifen works over the long term. A study from Karolinska Institutet, published in BMC Medicine, shows this. The findings may help improve understanding of why some patients benefit more from treatment than others.
A recent study published in BMC Medicine reveals a potential link between the cells in a breast tumor's microenvironment and how well hormone therapy tamoxifen works over the long term. Researchers from Karolinska Institutet analyzed tumor samples from 513 postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer who participated in the Stockholm Tamoxifen (STO-3) trial.
The study found that patients with fewer immune cells within and around their tumors experienced the greatest benefit from tamoxifen over up to 25 years. Additionally, the levels of blood vessel-related cells and connective tissue cells in the tumor microenvironment also correlated with treatment benefit. The findings suggest that the cells surrounding a tumor may provide valuable information about a patient's response to hormone therapy, potentially helping to group patients based on their tumor characteristics.
However, the study emphasizes that these results are based on older treatment standards and require validation in contemporary patient populations before clinical use.
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