Diagnosis
Gene finding paves way for new targeted breast cancer treatment
A gene linked to triple negative breast cancer could point to a new targeted treatment, researchers say.
Triple negative breast cancer makes up about 15 per cent of breast cancer cases. This form of the disease can be more aggressive and harder to treat than other types, with fewer targeted treatment options available.
It is also more common in women with an inherited altered BRCA gene, women under 40 and Black women.
The gene, called HORMAD1, is usually active only in reproductive cells in the ovaries and testes and stays switched off in the rest of the body. It helps ensure genetic information is distributed properly in sperm and eggs.
But in some cancers, including 60 per cent of triple negative breast cancers, HORMAD1 becomes active where it should not be. Researchers at the Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and the Breast Cancer Now Research Unit at King’s College London found that this disrupts a key safety mechanism in cells, causing errors in DNA to be passed on to new cancer cells.
While those changes can help cancer grow and resist treatment, the researchers said they also create a weakness that could be targeted with new therapies.
The study identified several drugs already being investigated as cancer treatments that may work against triple negative breast cancer cells with an active HORMAD1 gene. The team tested whether blocking three specific proteins, Aurora B, MPS1 and BUB1, could stop the growth of cells with the active gene in the laboratory.
They also tested whether two Aurora B inhibitors, currently in early-stage clinical trials, could treat mice carrying human triple negative breast cancer tumours with the active HORMAD1 gene. The treatment reduced tumour growth. The researchers said they will now investigate whether drugs targeting Aurora B, MPS1 and BUB1 could be developed for patients with this type of breast and possibly other cancers.
Professor Andrew Tutt, director of the Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and the Breast Cancer Now Research Unit at King’s College London, and corresponding author of the study, said:
“Although this research is still in its early stages, it offers an important step forward in understanding triple negative breast cancer and opens the door for the development of new treatments. It also highlights that testing for the activity of the HORMAD1 gene in triple negative breast cancer could guide treatment decisions in the future. Together, these insights bring us closer to developing more precise therapies for people with triple negative breast cancer.”
Dr Simon Vincent, chief scientific officer at Breast Cancer Now, which funded the research, said:
“Each year, around 8,000 UK women are diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer and it’s more likely than most other breast cancers to return or spread during the first years following treatment. There are also fewer targeted treatments available, so it’s vital we find new and effective ways to tackle this devastating disease. The findings open the door to the next crucial phase of research, where the research team can identify and test the most effective drugs or drug combinations against triple negative breast cancer with an active HORMAD1 gene, and move the safest and most promising options towards clinical trials.”
Liz Boughton, 50, an NHS finance manager from Northamptonshire, was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in August 2024. She said:
“In July 2024, I accidentally brushed my arm against my breast and felt a very small lump. I dismissed it until I was persuaded by my husband to make an appointment with my doctor. I was quickly referred to the breast clinic, where a whirlwind of tests led to a diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer. I was 49, healthy, with no family history. Cancer wasn’t something I expected to hear.”
“I began 6 months of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy immediately, to shrink the tumour before surgery. I was also given immunotherapy (weekly) alongside the chemotherapy, a new treatment option for some people with triple negative breast cancer, which can improve outcomes. Once treatment began, it pulled me, and those around me, into a world we never knew existed. I then underwent surgery, followed by radiotherapy and a further 9 infusions of immunotherapy over 27 weeks.”
“When you’re diagnosed with a type of breast cancer that has fewer treatment options and a higher risk of returning soon after diagnosis, it’s hard not to live with constant uncertainty about the future. It can feel like you’ve been given a life sentence, but with continued research comes hope.”
The NHS has been urged to update its website after PCOS was renamed PMOS, or polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome.
Last week, the condition, thought to affect about one in eight women, was given a new name after a 14-year effort involving medical experts, charities and women with lived experience of the disorder.
However, the NHS website contains no mention of the new name or any change to the information provided about the condition.
Neelam Heera-Shergill, chief executive and founder of the charity Cysters, urged action.
She said: “As an organisation rooted in reproductive and health justice, we welcome conversations around language that better reflect the realities and experiences of those living with PMOS/PCOS. But any name change must go beyond symbolism.
“Communities deserve clear, accessible and timely information so people are not left confused, excluded or struggling to access support and diagnosis.
“We hope to see the NHS move quickly to update information and public-facing resources in a way that is inclusive, culturally competent and centred on the needs of the communities most impacted.
“For many people, especially those from marginalised backgrounds who already face barriers within healthcare, clarity and visibility can make a real difference in accessing the rightful care and support they need.”
However, Caroline Andrews, a trustee of the charity Verity, said the announcement of the new name came with a three-year transition period.
She added that the NHS is going through many changes, with a new health secretary recently announced after the resignation of Wes Streeting.
In addition, 2026 has seen the launch of the renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England, while the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is expected to publish the first standalone guidelines for PMOS/PCOS later this year.
Andrews said: “We fully appreciate that they [the NHS] need transition time just like we do, just like many other organisations do.
“And we’d much rather the NHS do this carefully and thoughtfully, considering this in placement with all the lines of care, such as the fact the Nice guidelines are coming through, and how this is fitting with the delivery of care.”
Prof Channa Jayasena, an expert in reproductive endocrinology at Imperial College London, welcomed the name change.
He said: “I think it’s a tremendous initiative, and I think it’s a great step forward in trying to help women and clinicians understand the full breadth of the seriousness [of the] condition.”
But he added that the shift has only just occurred, with professional societies around the world meeting to inform their members about the change.
He said: “There’s a long history of many conditions sometimes still being called outdated things by clinicians because it takes a while for the workforce to be updated and upskilled.
“And I can guarantee you, not all doctors know about this at the moment, and therefore not all patients will.
“So I think it’s a great move in the right direction, which shows where we should be going.
“But professional societies which have webpages, obviously patient support groups, and the NHS will, I fully expect, over the next year or two, be updating all their websites.”
However, Dr Sophie Williams of the University of Derby and an expert on PCOS/PMOS and mental health said the three-year transition for the name change could cause confusion.
She said: “When you go on the NHS website and it’s still [saying] polycystic ovaries, PCOS… as a member of the public, that might make you question the legitimacy of the information you’re getting.
“[The NHS website] is one of the first places any person might think to go to for health care advice that is rigorous, that is reliable. So from my perspective, I do think that the sooner the better.”
Williams said one option would be to run two shadow webpages that link together, one for PCOS and one for PMOS, or to include text on the current page referring to the name change and noting that information is being reviewed.
An NHS spokesperson said: “We routinely review and update content on the NHS website to ensure it reflects the latest clinical advice and will carefully consider these recommendations.
“The NHS will also continue our work to improve women’s healthcare, including for this important group, which involves giving women more choice over their care, bringing down waiting times, and delivering more care in communities.”
Only one per cent of women can name all five gynaecological cancers, new research suggests, as 21 women in the UK die every day of the diseases.
The report also found that 31 per cent of women have put off or avoided seeking medical advice for gynaecological symptoms.
It also found that 43 per cent of women invited for cervical screening said barriers had put them off attending, while 18 per cent of respondents aged 25 to 34 who had been invited had never attended.
The five main gynaecological cancers are womb, also called uterine, ovarian, cervical, vulval and vaginal cancer.
The Lady Garden Foundation said that, while progress has been made since the UK government’s 2022 Women’s Health Strategy aimed to improve gynaecological cancer care, significant challenges remain.
John Butler, medical director and trustee at the Lady Garden Foundation, said: “The fact that only one per cent of the population can name the diseases that directly affect half of us underscores a significant awareness gap, impacting individuals’ ability to recognise vital signs and symptoms or seek timely medical help.
“Addressing this isn’t just about awareness; it’s a critical public health priority. Our collective efforts are essential to ensure the latest commitments announced by this government translate into tangible change that saves lives.”
The report said key reasons for delaying medical advice included difficulty making appointments, embarrassment and, for cervical screening, fear of pain or previous bad experiences.
Women also reported challenges within healthcare interactions, including feeling “not taken seriously”, “dismissed” or “not believed” when seeking gynaecological advice.
Jenny Halpern Prince, chief executive and charity co-founder, said: “We frequently hear reports of women feeling ‘not taken seriously,’ ‘dismissed,’ or ‘not believed’ when seeking gynaecological advice.
“These experiences highlight crucial areas where we can improve patient support and trust within our healthcare system, ensuring women receive the empathetic and effective care they need.”
The Lady Garden Foundation said it aims to increase awareness of both the charity and the five gynaecological cancers.
It also aims to serve as a primary entry point for reliable, stigma-free information, helping people understand their bodies, recognise symptoms and overcome barriers to accessing care.
Its Silent No More Garden was unveiled at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026. Designed by Darren Hawkes, the garden serves as a national call to action, using five sculptures to spark conversations, break long-standing taboos and encourage open dialogue about symptoms and preventative care.
Butler said: “Continued focus and collaborative action are essential to progress.
“The ongoing commitment from the government, alongside societal efforts to break down taboos surrounding gynaecological health, are crucial.
“The Lady Garden Foundation is dedicated to being a beacon of information and support, empowering women with the knowledge they need. We urge everyone to learn the signs, speak up, and help us save lives.”
Menstrual fluid collected from tampons could one day provide a simple, non-invasive way to measure a biomarker of nerve damage and potentially track disease activity in neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), new research suggests.
Because neurofilament light chain, or NfL, has emerged as a promising biomarker of MS, detecting it in menstrual fluid raises the possibility of monitoring disease activity through the natural monthly cycle of menstruation.
Researchers at Nextgen Jane, in collaboration with Siemens Healthineers, found that NfL, a protein released when nerve cells are damaged, can be reliably detected in tampon-collected menstrual samples.
“Finding that NfL tracks with estrogen levels in menstrual fluid, independent of how much blood is in the sample, tells us there is real biology here, not just contamination,” said Ridhi Tariyal, chief executive and co-founder of Nextgen Jane.
“That changes what this specimen means for neurology.”
In MS, the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy parts of the brain and spinal cord, causing inflammation and damage that can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, numbness, muscle weakness, and problems with balance or vision.
Confirming a diagnosis of MS usually requires a combination of physical and neurological examinations, MRI scans to check for brain and spinal cord damage, and lab tests.
These can include detecting certain proteins in cerebrospinal fluid, the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, which may indicate inflammation in the brain or spinal cord.
After diagnosis, patients are usually monitored through clinical assessments and routine MRI scans, which help doctors detect changes in disease activity and determine whether treatments are working.
However, MRI assessments can be costly and are usually done once or twice a year, which can prevent doctors from spotting early changes and making timely treatment adjustments.
Because of these challenges, researchers have long sought cost-effective, more accessible biomarkers that could help detect MS earlier, monitor disease activity over time, and evaluate treatment response.
One of the most promising candidates is NfL, a protein found in nerve cell fibres that is released into the bloodstream and cerebrospinal fluid when nerve cells are injured.
To explore whether menstrual fluid could serve as a source for detecting this biomarker and, more broadly, as a non-invasive specimen for monitoring neurological, hormonal and inflammatory signals, researchers analysed 99 tampon-collected menstrual fluid samples from 91 participants.
They used Siemens Healthineers’ highly sensitive NfL assay on its automated testing platform. The team also measured hormonal and inflammatory molecules.
NfL was detected in 98 of the 99 menstrual fluid samples analysed, suggesting the biomarker can be reliably measured in tampon-collected samples.
The researchers also found that NfL levels were associated with estradiol levels, a form of the hormone oestrogen, and that this relationship remained significant even after adjusting for differences in blood content between samples.
By comparison, levels of inflammatory markers were more strongly linked to blood content itself.
According to the researchers, this suggests NfL detection was not merely the result of blood contamination, but may reflect biologically meaningful changes that could potentially be tracked over time through routine menstrual sampling.
Building on these findings, Nextgen Jane is now planning prospective studies to investigate whether menstrual NfL and other neurological proteins can be used to track disease activity over time in conditions such as MS.
“The menstrual cycle provides a built-in longitudinal framework: the same individual, the same biological process, month after month,” said Stephen Gire, chief scientific officer at Nextgen Jane.
“Coupling the NextGen Jane platform with Siemens Healthineers’ highly sensitive NfL assay gives us a path to study neurological biomarker trajectories in a way that has not been possibe before.”
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