Jun 21, 2016 07:53 AM EDT By Anita Valencia, UniversityHerald Reporter

Scientists have come with a breakthrough research result that claimed osteoporosis drug can be used to prevent or delay breast cancer in women with BRCA1 gene.

Researchers in Australia tested breast tissue opted from women with BRCA1 gene and used denosumab - an osteoporosis drug that is widely available in the market - as the medication that can target the pre-cancer cells. The osteoporosis medication can identify these cells before they grow to become cancerous.

Breast cancer prevention by identifying potential cancer-cells can be an alternative to surgical option

The study suggests a less invasive procedure for women who carry the genetic risk of breast cancer. Scientists found that denosumab observed in the sample tissue could actually 'switch off' the growth of the cells before they develop to cancer.

Emma Nolan, one of the researchers from Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Melbourne, shared her excitement in the findings. She claimed that her team's observation was able to determine that osteoporosis drug, denosumab, shuts down the cell growth and delays tumor.

Denosumab osteoporosis drug, an existing medication

Denosumab has been clinically used to treat osteoporosis - a condition where bones lost tissue and become fragile. The osteo medication injected in sample tissue, targeted progenitor cells, the pre-cancer cells.  At early stage, denosumab has been found to delay tumor growth, Herald Sun reported.

The path to breast cancer prevention and delay could be getting closer

The progress in breast cancer prevention research leads to many possibilities in developing treatments and ways to delay tumor growth. It can be used to get more cancer treatment approaches and many women that carry BRCA1 gene mutation could benefit from this breakthrough research.

Breast cancer prevention research has been done in the past few decades. Many researchers have investigated stem cell functions, studying the gene mutation, and find ways to less-invasive methods than biopsies, University Herald reported.  

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