Chemotherapy Effective for Breast Cancer Depends on Menstrual Cycle Phase
This type of breast cancer, known for its aggressive nature, is often treated with chemotherapy as the initial course of action.
“We want to look specifically at women with triple-negative breast cancer, because their treatment process starts with chemotherapy,” says researcher Sabine Linn.
Previous research conducted by the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) on mice showed that chemotherapy produced varying results, prompting scientists to consider the role of the estrous cycle (the rodent equivalent of the menstrual cycle) as a potential factor.
This observation has led researchers to question whether a similar phenomenon might occur in humans.
“We want to take an extra tube of blood from 100 women just before chemotherapy, so that we can determine where they are in the cycle,” explains researcher Linn. “Afterwards we can see for whom the treatment works well, and whether there is a link with the menstrual cycle. The treatment itself changes nothing,” she adds.
Historically, medical research has primarily focused on male subjects and animals. This bias stems from the belief that female bodies, due to their menstrual cycles and hormone fluctuations, introduced more “noise” into research data, making results less clear and more complex to analyze.
Concerns about potential damage to eggs and unborn children during research also contributed to this historical imbalance.
As a result, there’s a significant knowledge gap regarding how medications affect women. This new study aims to address this disparity and shed light on the potential impact of the menstrual cycle on chemotherapy outcomes for breast cancer patients.
The findings of this research could have significant implications for the way breast cancer is treated. If a link between the menstrual cycle phase and chemotherapy efficacy is established, oncologists might be able to personalize treatment plans by timing chemotherapy administrations based on a patient’s cycle. This could lead to
improved treatment outcomes and potentially reduce side effects.
While the study is still in progress, the research team is hopeful that their findings will contribute to a more nuanced understanding of breast cancer treatment and pave the way for more effective and personalized care for women.
What are the mechanisms by which hormone fluctuations during the menstrual cycle might influence the effectiveness of chemotherapy?
## Can Your Period Affect Chemotherapy Success?
**Interviewer:** Welcome back to the show. Today, we’re discussing a fascinating new study exploring the link between the menstrual cycle and the effectiveness of chemotherapy in breast cancer treatment. Joining us is Dr. [Guest Name], a leading oncologist with expertise in breast cancer treatment. Dr. [Guest Name], thank you for being here.
**Dr. [Guest Name]:** My pleasure. I’m happy to shed light on this intriguing area of research.
**Interviewer:** So, let’s get right to it. Can you tell us more about this study and what prompted researchers to investigate this connection?
**Dr. [Guest Name]:** Absolutely. Researchers at the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) noticed that chemotherapy results in mice varied depending on their estrous cycle, which is the equivalent of the menstrual cycle in humans. This led them to hypothesize that the same might be true for women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.
**Interviewer:** That’s certainly an interesting observation. Why would the menstrual cycle potentially influence the effectiveness of chemotherapy?
**Dr. [Guest Name]:** We know that hormone levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle. These hormones can influence how cancer cells grow and respond to treatment. The study focuses specifically on triple-negative breast cancer, which is an aggressive subtype.
**Interviewer:** And why is triple-negative breast cancer the focus of this research?
**Dr. [Guest Name]** That’s an excellent question. Triple-negative breast cancer is often treated with chemotherapy as the first line of defense because it lacks the receptors targeted by other treatments. Understanding how the menstrual cycle might impact chemotherapy’s effectiveness in this specific subtype could lead to more personalized and potentially more effective treatment strategies.
**Interviewer:** This research could truly be groundbreaking. When can we expect to see results, and what do you think the implications might be for women diagnosed with breast cancer?
**Dr. [Guest Name]:** The study is ongoing, but the potential implications are significant. If we can confirm a link between the menstrual cycle and chemotherapy response, we could begin timing chemotherapy treatments to coincide with phases where it’s most effective for individual patients. This could lead to better outcomes and potentially fewer side effects.
