Researchers in this study wanted to understand why some triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC)—a particularly aggressive type of breast cancer—don’t respond well to a combination of two drugs, veliparib and carboplatin. Although these drugs can damage cancer cells’ DNA, the team found that drug penetration into the tumor varied widely—not only between different tumors but even within the same tumor. Using advanced imaging techniques in mice and patient samples, they discovered that not all parts of a tumor received enough of the drug, possibly leaving some cancer cells untreated. This patchy drug distribution could explain why many patients don’t fully benefit from this treatment, even when their cancer has genetic traits that suggest it should respond.
To confirm that their imaging method could detect real-world drug levels, the researchers tested tissue samples donated to the Komen Tissue Bank. These samples were crucial for validating their technology in human breast tissues, including tumor and non-tumor areas. Thanks to the donors and the Komen Tissue Bank, the team was able to prove that their approach could work on actual biopsy samples. This paves the way for more personalized treatment, where drug delivery could one day be adjusted based on how well it reaches a patient’s tumor.
