New Scientific Study May Pave the Way for Targeted Cancer Treatment

Imagine a drug that stops cancer from progressing without side effects or risks. That future may be one step closer thanks to a recent study led by Dr. Raj Kumar, Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences at Touro College of Pharmacy. The research findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.

Dr. Kumar’s lab focuses on steroid hormone receptors (SHRs), one of the most critical proteins in cancer treatment. Steroid hormones like estrogen and testosterone are key targets because cancer cells often contain abnormally high levels of SHRs, which can contribute to the development of breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers.

However, current anti-hormonal drugs also bind to SHRs in other parts of the body—such as the uterus and bones—causing side effects and additional health risks.

“You try to treat breast cancer, but you end up enhancing estrogen’s effect on uterine tissue, which may lead to uterine cancer,” Kumar explained. “The 'Holy Grail' of SHR-based therapy for endocrine cancers is to restrict SHR activity to specific organs and genetic targets. To do that, we need a better understanding of the SHR structure and how they interact with other proteins.”

Kumar’s research offers the first detailed insight into the structure of these steroid hormone receptor complexes.

“Once we fully understand the structure of SHRs and how associated proteins form complexes, we can develop drugs that precisely target specific tissues,” he noted.

Differences in SHR complexes help explain why hormones—and potential drugs—affect different types of cells and tissues in different ways. Limited understanding of these structures has so far hindered the development of more effective and targeted therapies with minimal or no side effects. Kumar’s team identified variations in these complexes using a new proteomics technology.

“This research will significantly enhance our ability to predictably disrupt SHR signaling and will likely enable the creation of more effective drugs for treating endocrine cancers—with minimal or even no serious side effects,” he added.

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