Researchers have discovered a way that metastatic tumor cells avoid the immune system in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). The study, led by Judith Agudo and published in Nature, describes how cancer cells traveling through the body can hide from immune attack and form tumors in organs such as the lungs, liver, and brain.
Using a tracking technology called Jedi cell tracking system, researchers observed that metastatic cancer cells activate the glucocorticoid receptor, which helps them avoid destruction by immune cells. The team found that the drug mifepristone can block this receptor, removing the cancer cells’ protection and allowing the immune system to kill them.
In animal studies, treatment with mifepristone significantly reduced the number of small metastatic tumors. When combined with an anti PD 1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, the therapy further decreased cancer spread and improved survival. Analysis of human TNBC samples also showed that higher glucocorticoid receptor activity is linked to more metastasis and worse patient outcomes.