Breast Cancer Stem Cells: unlocking the code to targeted cancer therapies

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This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we wanted to share the work of one Cardiff University lab researching this devastating disease.

The European Cancer Stem Cell Institute at Cardiff University, investigates the role of a unique population of cells in a tumour, which could hold the answer to creating successful targeted therapies for many forms of cancer. Join Dr Richard Clarkson, Institute Deputy Director and Research Associate, Dr Giusy Tornillo discussing their research into cancer stem cells in breast cancer and their role in metastasis, the spread of malignant tumours around the body. Current therapies cannot cure metastatic breast cancer and sadly, the average survival rate for patients is poor.

Dr Clarkson and Dr Tornillo’s work involves understanding the changes that occur within tumour cells that cause them to metastasise, and the development of new therapeutic strategies to either prevent this from taking place, or to eliminate the cells altogether.

Understanding the origins and the biology of cancer stem cells in breast cancer could open up new avenues in Cardiff University’s goal to find personalised treatments for patients and one day find a way to prevent the spread altogether.