Innovative Approach Targets Cell Division Errors to Halt Triple Negative Breast Cancer Spread

Recent research from Weill Cornell Medicine has unveiled a promising strategy to combat the aggressive nature of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). This form of breast cancer, known for its difficulty to treat and high likelihood of metastasis, may be curbed by restoring order to the process of cell division in cancer cells. The study highlights the crucial role of the enzyme EZH2, which is overproduced in TNBC cells and contributes to chromosomal instability—a condition where chromosomes are missegregated during cell division, facilitating cancer spread.

In normal cell division, chromosomes are precisely duplicated and evenly divided, maintaining genetic stability. However, in TNBC and other cancers, abnormal activity of EZH2 leads to faulty chromosome segregation. The enzyme silences the tankyrase 1 gene, which is essential for proper chromosome separation, causing an overaccumulation of centrosomes—the structures responsible for pulling chromosomes apart. This proliferation results in faulty cell divisions, chromosomal chaos, and increased metastatic potential.

The researchers demonstrated that inhibiting EZH2 with existing drugs like tazemetostat reduces chromosomal instability in cancer cells. Notably, in mouse models, higher EZH2 levels correlated with increased metastasis to the lungs, confirming its role in disease progression. Restoring balance to cell division by targeting EZH2 not only reduces errors but also prevents the spread of cancer cells.

This discovery offers a new therapeutic avenue: EZH2 inhibitors could be repurposed or developed to prevent metastasis at its root, potentially improving survival rates for patients with TNBC. Ongoing and future clinical trials are anticipated to explore the safety and efficacy of these approaches in treating high-risk breast cancers and other malignancies characterized by chromosomal instability.

The findings challenge the conventional wisdom of pushing cancer cells beyond their stability threshold to induce cell death. Instead, they suggest that stabilizing cell division processes could be a more effective and less risky strategy to halt cancer progression.

While further research is needed, this breakthrough underscores the potential of epigenetic therapy in managing aggressive cancers and highlights the importance of targeting fundamental cellular mechanisms to prevent metastasis.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-cancer-cells-halt-triple-negative.html