Experimental MeCo Score May Predict Risk Of Recurrence

A small study published in Clinical Cancer Research suggests that an experimental tool called the MeCo Score may help identify individuals with early-stage HER2-negative breast cancer who are most likely to benefit from fibrosis-targeting medication to reduce the risk of recurrence. Fibrosis, a process where breast tissue becomes thick and stiff, is linked to an increased likelihood of cancer returning in distant parts of the body.

The study evaluated 111 people with early-stage HER2-negative breast cancer. Researchers calculated the MeCo Score, which analyzes over 1,000 genes in a tumor to assess the risk of fibrosis. A higher MeCo Score indicates a greater likelihood of tissue stiffening and, consequently, a higher risk of cancer recurrence.

Participants were divided into two groups. One group received 12 weekly infusions of Taxol (paclitaxel) before surgery, while the other received Taxol combined with Ofev (nintedanib), a medication typically prescribed for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a condition causing lung scarring without a known cause. After approximately 10 years of follow-up, those who received only Taxol and had high MeCo Scores showed a higher risk of recurrence compared to individuals with low MeCo Scores.

For participants with high MeCo Scores, the addition of Ofev reduced the recurrence risk by 62%. The research team, led by Ghassan Mouneimne, PhD, associate professor of cellular and molecular medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and cancer biology expert at the Ginny L. Clements Breast Cancer Research Institute, aims to conduct further studies to validate these findings. The ultimate goal is to integrate the MeCo Score into personalized treatment planning to improve outcomes and explore cost-effective approaches to care.