Groundbreaking discovery reverts cancer cells back to normal

Researchers from the University of Basel and the University Hospital Basel in Switzerland have tested the possibility of artificial maturing of breast cancer cells and turning them into normal cells again. Led by Professor Mohamed Bentires-Alj, the research study provided promising results in treating an aggressive type of carcinoma called triple-negative breast cancer. Breast cancer cells are susceptible to estrogen and can be treated with anti-estrogenic therapies, which are highly effective in patients. Group leader at the Department of Biomedicine, Bentires-Alj said, "We show here that we can convert breast cancer cells to less harmful cells that stop growing." Referring to the new research treatment, he furthered, "Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that define cancer and how these mechanisms differ from normal cells is crucial for developing new innovative therapies.