{
  "id": 838423,
  "title": "Cancer-fighting protein may help breast tumours resist treatment, Australian study finds",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/cancer-fighting-protein-may-help-breast-tumours-resist-treatment",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-14T05:09:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2026/08/14/cancer-fighting-protein-may-help-breast-tumours-resist-treatment-australian-study-finds/231325"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Melbourne, August 14 — Australian researchers have uncovered a surprising reason why breast cancer treatments sometimes stop working, according to a study published in Nature. The research team from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre discovered that the retinoblastoma (Rb) protein, a protein traditionally thought to act as a barrier against cancer growth, can unexpectedly activate genes tied to estrogen. Some of these genes can assist cancer cells in resisting treatment and retaining their capacity to proliferate, according to a statement from the cancer center.\n\nAssociate Professor Shom Goel, the study's senior author, explained that Rb's role extends beyond merely turning off genes involved in cell division. It can also \"activate biological programs that at times work against its own protective effects,\" Goel stated. The findings provide insight into why CDK4/6 inhibitors, a type of medication, perform best when used in conjunction with endocrine therapy for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, the most common type of the disease.\n\nGoel elaborated that CDK4/6 inhibitors activate Rb to halt cancer cell division, while endocrine therapy halts estrogen-driven signals that Rb can also trigger. When these approaches work in tandem, they allow the tumor-suppressing capabilities of Rb to take precedence. However, when breast cancers become unresponsive to endocrine therapy, the estrogen-related gene program persists despite treatment, diminishing the effectiveness of CDK4/6 inhibitors, researchers found.\n\nUnderstanding this unanticipated role of Rb provides a fresh perspective on drug resistance, according to Goel. He emphasized that the discovery could inform the development of new combination therapies to prolong the effectiveness of existing treatments and enhance outcomes for breast cancer patients.",
  "summary": "MELBOURNE, Aug 14 — Researchers in Australia have discovered why breast cancer treatment stops working for some pa...",
  "key_points": [
    "Rb protein, thought to inhibit cancer growth, activates estrogen-related genes",
    "CDK4/6 inhibitors work best with endocrine therapy for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer",
    "Unresponsiveness to endocrine therapy diminishes CDK4/6 effectiveness"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The discovery of retinoblastoma protein's role in activating genes tied to estrogen sheds light on why breast cancer treatments stop working and could inform new combination therapies to improve patient outcomes.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}