Chinese researchers find new treatment path for high-risk breast cancer

A large-scale study by Chinese researchers offers a new treatment path for patients with the most aggressive form of breast cancer, providing what experts call a "China solution" for a disease that has long been difficult to treat.

The trial focused on triple-negative breast cancer, often considered the most dangerous version of the disease because it lacks the three common "hooks" — or receptors — that most modern drugs use to identify and kill cancer cells. Because these hooks are missing, doctors have struggled to find targeted treatments that work for every patient, often leaving chemotherapy as the only option.

The study, conducted by researchers at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, found that adding the chemotherapy drug carboplatin to the standard treatment plan significantly improved outcomes. Patients in the experimental group reached a three-year survival rate of 92.3 percent without the cancer returning, a notable improvement over the 85.8 percent seen in the control group.

The findings were published Tuesday in the medical journal BMJ. The researchers named the study "Citrine," after the yellow gemstone that symbolizes hope. Triple-negative breast cancer accounts for about 25 percent of all breast cancer cases and is known for its high risk of recurrence, which is when the cancer comes back, or metastasis, which is when the cancer spreads to other organs within five years of the initial diagnosis.

Lead researcher Shao Zhimin, a chief expert at the cancer center, said the study aims to move away from a "one-size-fits-all" approach. He noted that even with standard follow-up care after surgery, many patients still experience the cancer returning or spreading to distant parts of the body. Shao said the goal is to identify high-risk patients early and provide personalized care.

The team began this clinical research in 2021, focusing on patients categorized as high-risk. This includes people whose cancer had already spread to their lymph nodes — small glands that help the body filter waste and fight infection — or patients whose tumor cells were growing and dividing at an unusually fast rate.

In the trial, which involved more than 800 participants, the researchers found that the addition of carboplatin reduced the relative risk of the cancer returning by 36 percent. For those in the experimental group, the three-year overall survival rate reached an impressive 98 percent.

Shao explained that the extra medication provided a crucial buffer during the period immediately following surgery, which is the most vulnerable time for these patients.

Wang Zhonghua, the deputy head of the hospital's breast surgery department, added that the trial showed no new or unexpected safety risks, which provides a solid foundation for doctors to begin using this treatment method more widely in clinics.