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IRVINE, Calif., Dec 1, 2006 (UPI via COMTEX) -- A chemical in the so-called abortion pill could prevent breast cancer caused by a faulty gene, researchers in California said.
RU-486 isn't meant for long-term use such as cancer prevention, the researchers told WebMD.com. However, it was shown to block progesterone, a hormone that can accelerate certain cancer growths.
Breast cancer can strike between 36 percent and 85 percent of women with a mutant BRCA1 gene, which is involved in DNA repair, or mutations in BRCA2, another gene. These women also have between 16 percent and 60 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer.
Eva Lee, biological chemistry and cell biology professor at the University of California, Irvine, found mouse and human breast cells with BRCA1 mutations were overly sensitive to progesterone, WebMD.com said. When the mice received RU-486, they did not get the cancer.
The researchers are testing new progesterone-blocking drugs to see if they have the same effect in mice.
Other researchers caution that Lee's findings, while exciting, concentrated on a specific group of mice. They said the finding should be considered a springboard for continued research.
The findings were published in the Dec. 1 issue of Science.
URL: www.upi.com Copyright 2006 by United Press International
