Latest news in breast cancer trials meeting

Breast Cancer Trials (BCT) held their 43rd Annual Scientific Meeting in Melbourne on July 27-30.  
In the Translational Research session at this meeting, Prof Wayne Tilley, Director of the Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories (DRMCRL) presented work on "Understanding the role of the androgen receptor" as targeting the androgen receptor (AR) in breast cancer has been of intense clinical interest over the past two decades.

Recent work from the DRMCRL and collaborators showed that AR is a tumour suppressor in the most prevalent form of breast cancer, and that an agonist, not an antagonist, strategy exerts potent anti-tumour activity in multiple disease contexts, including disease resistant to all forms of standard-of-care therapy.

Prof Tilley’s presentation aligned well with the themes of the scientific sessions at this year’s meeting which included breast cancer clinical trials updates, key issues on the prevention and treatment of early and advanced breast cancer, current and future trials including research directions and new approaches.

The BCT’s research program involves multicentre national and international clinical trials and brings together more than 820 researchers in 109 institutions throughout Australia and New Zealand.