Potential Strategy To Stem Spread Of Breast Cancer

Researchers identify a drug that could reduce metastasis of aggressive triple-negative breast cancer

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Researchers led by Ludwig Harvard's Judith Agudo have reported a new strategy to prevent the metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive subtype of the disease. The researchers found that TNBC cells that evade immune attack and metastasize often activate the glucocorticoid receptor. They also discovered that the drug mifepristone, already in clinical use, could reduce the number of incipient metastases in animal models. Combining mifepristone with anti-PD1 checkpoint blockade immunotherapy further inhibited TNBC metastasis and extended survival.

Why it matters

Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive form of the disease that is particularly difficult to treat, with metastasis being the predominant cause of death. This research identifies a potential new approach to curtail the spread of TNBC, which could have significant implications for improving outcomes for patients with this type of breast cancer.

The details

The researchers applied a model called JEDI, developed by Judith Agudo, to study the immune system's surveillance of cancer stem cells, which seed new tumors. This revealed that TNBC cells that evade immune attack and metastasize often activate the glucocorticoid receptor. The researchers then found that the drug mifepristone, already in clinical use, could reduce the number of incipient metastases in animal models. Combining mifepristone with anti-PD1 checkpoint blockade immunotherapy further inhibited TNBC metastasis and extended survival.

  • The research was reported in the current issue of Nature, published on March 4, 2026.

The players

Judith Agudo

A researcher at Ludwig Harvard and an associate professor at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, who led the study.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

The research institution where Judith Agudo is based and where the study was conducted.

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What’s next

The researchers plan to further evaluate the use of mifepristone, both alone and in combination with immunotherapy, in clinical studies to determine its potential to reduce metastasis and improve outcomes for patients with triple-negative breast cancer.

The takeaway

This research identifies a promising new approach to addressing the challenge of triple-negative breast cancer, which is an aggressive and difficult-to-treat form of the disease. The potential use of an existing drug, mifepristone, to inhibit metastasis in combination with immunotherapy represents an important step forward in the fight against this deadly cancer.