Last September, we convened a group of experts from across Europe to build consensus around a new approach to breast cancer prevention in women with a BRCA1 pathogenic variant.
Today, in the first opinion piece arising from that discussion, we make the case for new collaborative efforts to accelerate research on the progesterone antagonist mifepristone as a non-surgical risk-reducing option.
Progesterone plays a key role in the development of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in carriers of a BRCA1 pathogenic variant - a form of cancer with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. EUTOPS research, and that of others, has shown that blocking progesterone with the antagonist mifepristone can reduce the cellular changes that lead to TNBC. This suggests it could be a powerful non-surgical prevention option - but regulatory, political, and commercial barriers have slowed progress.
Our new Lancet Viewpoint calls for a coordinated global effort - involving researchers, clinicians, policymakers, funders, and industry - to investigate and, if proven effective, make mifepristone available to the women who need it most.
