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Oncology · The big question

How an Inflammation Protein Fuels Breast Cancer Spread in Older Adults

RAGE Implicated in Worsening Breast Cancer Mortality with Age

GEN2 min readAI-assisted summary
Editorial illustration for RAGE Implicated in Worsening Breast Cancer Mortality with Age
Editorial illustration

Summary

As we get older, our bodies undergo changes that can make illnesses like breast cancer more dangerous. Scientists have recently discovered a major reason why this happens. They found that aging drastically increases the spread of breast cancer to the lungs, a process known as metastasis. This age-related spread is driven by a specific protein on the surface of our cells called RAGE. RAGE acts as an amplifier for inflammation. As we age, it becomes increasingly active and fuels a harmful environment that helps tumors invade other parts of the body.

To understand this process, researchers looked at mouse models of triple-negative breast cancer, a particularly aggressive form of the disease. They observed that older mice developed significantly more lung metastases than younger ones. However, when the scientists genetically removed the RAGE receptor or blocked it using an experimental drug called azeliragon, the age-dependent spread of the cancer essentially stopped. This showed that the cancer cells were directly relying on this inflammatory pathway to move and grow.

The team then looked to see if this phenomenon holds true in humans. By analyzing data from more than 1,000 breast cancer patients, they confirmed that high levels of the gene that creates RAGE, along with other aging-related biological markers, were linked to worse survival outcomes. This connection was especially strong in older women, suggesting that the RAGE pathway is a crucial driver of cancer progression in older adults.

Why it matters.

This research is a major step forward for older breast cancer patients. Because the scientific community often relies on young mice for laboratory testing, the unique ways that older bodies interact with cancer are frequently overlooked. By identifying RAGE as a key link between aging and cancer spread, researchers have opened the door to new, highly targeted treatments that address the underlying inflammation fueling the disease in older adults.

The most promising aspect of this discovery is that a potential treatment is already being evaluated. The RAGE-blocking drug azeliragon, also known as TTP488, has previously been tested in older adults with Alzheimer's disease and has a known, favorable safety profile. It is important to note that its clinical effectiveness for breast cancer is still in the early stages of research. A Phase I/II clinical trial is currently evaluating the drug's safety and cognitive effects in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. If successful, repurposing this drug could eventually offer a safe, well-tolerated way to stop cancer from spreading in older patients who often struggle with the harsh side effects of traditional treatments.

From the source

The story in numbers.

Human breast cancer patient datasets analyzed
>1,000
Proportion of breast cancer-specific deaths occurring in women 65 and older
>50%
Age of young mice typically used in standard preclinical cancer research
2-3 months
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