There Must Be a Better Way

Age-old quandary inspires breakthrough discovery in the treatment of breast cancer

Dr. Angela BrodieAccording to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly a quarter of a million women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the U.S. One of the most important therapeutic advances to impact the treatment of breast cancer was discovered by Angela H. Brodie, PhD, Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. It was here in Baltimore that her pioneering research led to the discovery of a class of drugs known as aromatase inhibitors, a landmark advancement that has revolutionized and transformed the treatment of breast cancer in women worldwide.

Early in her career in the lab at Christie Cancer Hospital in Manchester, England, Brodie observed that the treatments for breast cancer were invasive and had terrible side effects. According to Brodie, she, like other notable scientists and innovators, traces her most important discovery back to a single phrase—“there must be a better way.” She began to apply her insatiable curiosity and scientific intellect with her passion to devise an improved approach for breast cancer treatment.

This directive would continue to influence Dr. Brodie’s work as she moved to the U.S. in the early 1970s to work at the Worcester (Massachusetts) Foundation for Experimental Biology, as the recipient of a prestigious fellowship sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It was there that she met her husband, an organic chemist, and they began their collaboration developing inhibitors to block estrogen synthesis. Brodie’s hypothesis that these inhibitors could lead to more complete suppression of estrogen garnered important initial research funding by the NIH in 1975.

Research Continues at University of Maryland

In 1979, Dr. Brodie relocated her lab to the University of Maryland and continued her research leading to the development of aromatase inhibitors. “As a researcher, it’s important to have access to resources of all kinds to be successful—willing and like-minded colleagues, research funding, lab space, and the latest technology and equipment,” says Brodie.

Leveraging these resources, Dr. Brodie validated her hypothesis. As a class of drugs, aromatase inhibitors help prevent the recurrence of breast cancer in post-menopausal women by reducing estrogen produced by the body, essentially starving the cancer cells of their fuel supply. The drugs inhibit the production of estrogen, which is synthesized by the enzyme aromatase.

Worldwide Impact

Aromatase inhibitorsThe first aromatase inhibitor was released worldwide in 1994 and had an immediate and lifesaving impact for millions of breast cancer patients, especially since the estrogen hormone serves as a growth factor for nearly 70% of all breast cancers. Compared to other drug therapies, aromatase inhibitors are very well tolerated by most women and significantly reduce the risk of harmful side effects.

Dr. Brodie’s work continues to be widely recognized by the scientific and cancer research communities. Select awards include the prestigious Kettering Prize from the General Motors Cancer Research Foundation and the Landon Award from the American Association of Cancer Research. “Dr. Brodie’s pioneering research has saved the lives of countless women worldwide,” says Kevin J. Cullen, MD, the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Distinguished Professor in Oncology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and director of UMGCC. “The development of aromatase inhibitors is arguably one of the most innovative therapeutic advances in treating women with breast cancer in the last quarter century.”

Dr. Brodie’s quiet demeanor belies her sharp focus in her continued pursuit of finding “a better way.” Building on the success of aromatase inhibitors, Brodie and her colleague Vincent Njar, PhD, have developed an androgen inhibitor compound, known as galeterone, to extend their fight against prostate cancer. Today, this compound shows promise in clinical trials as a more effective and well tolerated treatment for the most challenging cases of prostate cancer. Recently, galeterone’s approval was fast-tracked by the Food and Drug Administration.

Philanthropic Partnerships Advance Research

The same characteristics that drew Brodie to the University of Maryland nearly forty years ago “are still present today,” states Brodie. “Public and private support are an integral part of our ability to continue our research and attract top talent.” Brodie continued, “government funding cuts have made it especially challenging for younger investigators to secure grants at this time, as well as established investigators. Philanthropic partnerships will help us advance.”

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