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Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells: What this breakthrough means for aggressive breast cancer

Researchers there have found a critical vulnerability in triple-negative breast cancer, which makes up almost 31 per cent of breast cancer cases in India

4 min readUpdated: Nov 27, 2025 03:20 AM IST

Triple negative breast cancer patients can only be treated with combinations of intensive chemotherapy. (Source: Pexels)

Nirali (name changed), 45, is hoping a new therapy can help her battle triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive kind of breast cancer where cells lack most receptors and proteins for targeted therapies to work. Chemotherapy is currently the only way out but since the cancer tends to come back, a patient requires more cycles of it. “The risk is very high as the disease can spread to more parts of the body. So if a new therapy can take care of drug-resistant tumour cells and can kill them effectively, I hope it can help patients like me and others,” says Nirali, who is waiting to avail novel treatment at the Tata Memorial Centre-Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research, and Education in Cancer (TMC-ACTREC).

Researchers there have found a critical vulnerability in triple-negative breast cancer, which makes up almost 31 per cent of breast cancer cases in India.Led by Dr Nandini Verma, principal investigator from the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) division of TMC-ACTREC, they have found that although chemotherapy kills a majority of these cancer cells, some stubborn cells are able to quickly reprogramme themselves to survive and sprout back to divide into more aggressive and drug-resistant ones.

Express graphic

They are in a temporary dormant state in between, which is when researchers have found the culprit molecules that make the cancer resistant. “This study represents a significant step forward in tackling a disease known for its high recurrence rates and poor long-term prognosis,” says Dr Verma. The study has been published in the November issue of Redox Biology.

Why does this form of breast cancer relapse?

Triple-negative breast cancer is a particularly challenging malignancy because it lacks the three receptors — estrogen, progesterone and HER2 — that traditional targeted therapies rely on for treating more than 70% of breast cancer patients. Therefore, triple negative breast cancer patients can only be treated with combinations of intensive chemotherapy. While this often works initially, nearly half of patients with residual disease experience a rapid relapse, typically within two to five years. The resistant tumour cell then spreads to the lungs, liver and brain.

The new study focussed on these residual cancer cells, known as Drug-Tolerant Persisters (DTPs), to spot their vulnerabilities in their weakest moments. “Our study modelled how these cells first enter a dormant state to survive the drug attack and then, once chemotherapy is stopped, transition into a highly aggressive, growing state, which is responsible for tumour recurrence and its spread to different organs. Managing patients, who fail to achieve a complete remission of the disease, is particularly challenging due to the limited biological understanding of this residual disease,” says Dr Verma. She and her team have now mapped the molecular changes that allow the identification of these persistent cells. It will also help them understand how they survive chemotherapy and become more aggressive.

Eliminating the trigger molecules

Two molecules, GPX4 and FSP1, make the cancer cells resistant to chemotherapy. Researchers found that blocking FSP1 can make the cells sensitive to treatment again. Researchers also demonstrated how to “trip off” a cellular switch to change the status of cancer cells from “chemo resistant” to “chemo sensitive” by targeting the shield of FSP1. They created a stronger therapy that blocks both GPX4 and FSP1, killing the tough cancer cells by damaging their membranes.

A new hope for prediction and cure

This new molecular understanding has immediate clinical implications in two key areas: prediction and treatment. “This is a powerful biomarker for high-risk patients,” Dr Verma says. It can help patients who may not respond well to chemotherapy. The new combination therapy can then force the drug-resistant cells to rust themselves to death.

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The leading authors, Dr Nazia Chaudhary and Dibita Mandal, explain that a combined targeting approach could be a very promising treatment strategy. “The next important step is to test these findings in clinical trials to see if this strategy can help patients,” they say.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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