Posted on 01/08/2026 8:11:44 PM PST by ConservativeMind
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is among the most aggressive types of breast cancer. Despite initial responsiveness, many patients experience rapid relapse driven by cancer stem-like cells that survive chemotherapy and seed metastasis.
Addressing this unmet need, researchers have discovered that pitavastatin, a widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering drug, can directly inhibit the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1, a key driver of survival, stemness, and paclitaxel resistance in TNBC cells, thereby preventing distant metastasis.
The team found that pitavastatin binds specifically to the BH3-binding groove of Mcl-1, disrupting its stability and inducing mitochondrial dysfunction. This inhibition triggered a cascade of mitochondrial damage, leading to ROS generation, membrane disruption, cytochrome c release, and activation of cell-death pathways.
The drug effectively eliminated cancer stem-like cell populations, reduced ALDH1 activity, suppressed the CD44high/CD24low and CD24high/CD49high subpopulations, and sharply inhibited mammosphere formation. These effects extended to patient-derived TNBC organoids, where pitavastatin significantly reduced organoid size and viability.
In CSC-derived allograft mouse models, pitavastatin markedly reduced tumor growth, angiogenesis, and lung metastasis without inducing organ toxicity or causing significant body weight loss. Tumor sections showed a marked reduction in the proliferation marker Ki-67 and increased apoptosis, along with suppressed angiogenesis. The drug also lowered circulating levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, and VEGF, key mediators of metastatic progression.
Paclitaxel-resistant TNBC cells, characterized by elevated Mcl-1, MDR1/P-gp, JAK2–STAT3 signaling, and enhanced stemness, remained highly sensitive to pitavastatin. The drug downregulated Mcl-1 and Bcl-2, reduced P-gp expression, suppressed STAT3 activation, and restored mitochondrial apoptosis.
In resistant mammospheres, pitavastatin eliminated CSC frequency and prevented metastatic lung colonization in vivo. Combination treatment with paclitaxel and pitavastatin synergistically inhibited TNBC organoid growth, outperforming either drug alone.
The study highlights a compelling opportunity for drug repurposing: a well-established cardiovascular medication demonstrating strong anti-tumor and anti-metastatic activity in a highly lethal breast cancer subtype.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
It’s unfortunately too late for a coworker of mine who had her triple-negative come back.
quick pivot from cholesterol cash cow statins are these are seen to largely cause systemic diseases like diabetes and also damage muscles, nerve/spinal myelin sheathes, sex hormones and brain function?
Study probably sponsored by the produces of cholesterol lowering drugs.
Everything health care in the US, take it with a huge BS margin.
Lots of hype, fake or crappy studies (government fails at regulating - government actually depends/relies on the integrity of big pharma to report), massive over pricing.
It’s a generic drug in the US and the study was done in South Korea.
If it makes those people with the death sentence of triple-negative breast cancer live, from a generic drug that costs under $50 a month, do you think the “drug companies” are sponsoring this or making out like bandits?
Who is paying for the study?
These are often sales pitches.
Did it say? I didn’t see that.
That fact that it’s from Korea means little.
Guess who were the big players in Germany during Covid? The same big pharma companies as in the US. BioNTech is Pfizer.
Many of these studies are a sales pitches. IMHO
It’s a common marketing plow, as with Arm and Hammer baking soda. Come up with 100 new uses for it and watch your declining sales turn around.
Especially certain Statin based cholesterol drugs which have seen their sales and revenue drop sharply. Time for a “study” to be published in the “news.”
“News” is largely advertising. Did you know the new iPhone is out? Did you know Disney has an all new ride? Did you know??? Advertising (product, service, or political) pretending to be news. That’s a good chunk of the news.
It’s a common marketing plow, as with Arm and Hammer baking soda. Come up with 100 new uses for it and watch your declining sales turn around.
It’s a floor wax AND a dessert topping!
I’m wrong, you are clear headed correct. first reaction was corruption, I apologize.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.