DeCure's autonomous Cancer AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for metaplastic breast carcinoma — screening already-approved drugs against its 43-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleMetaplastic breast carcinoma maps to a 43-gene Open Targets module — the target space DeCure's AI scientist screens approved drugs against.
DeCure.ai methodSignature reversal (LINCS) plus network proximity (STRING) rank already-approved drugs likely to perturb this module — the same engine that produces DeCure.ai's repurposing hypotheses.
Repurposing thesisScreening approved medicines against this disease module, then publishing the evidence for the strongest candidate. Known pharmacology and human exposure data make the first question sharper — they do not establish safety or efficacy in a new indication.
Research record
01
ResearchComing soon
Candidate research + dossier — target rationale, drug-repurposing thesis and evidence pack.proof: Published dossier + on-chain hash
02
ValidationComing soon
In-vitro biological validation at a contract research org (CRO).proof: CRO contract + in-vitro report
03
Peer review & paperComing soon
Peer-reviewed paper published open-access (preprint + journal).proof: DOI + open-access link + on-chain hash
Current lead
No approved-drug candidate for metaplastic breast carcinoma is corroborated in the literature DeepSearch retrieved. Some conditions are managed with non-pharmacological care — a device, surgery or physical therapy — rather than a medicine; that may be the case here, or the literature we found may simply be too sparse yet to support a drug-repurposing angle.
Molecular view
axin 1 (AXIN1) — AXIN1 is one of the genes genetically linked to this disease in Open Targets — shown as context, not as a drug target we're pursuing: no approved-drug candidate for this disease is yet corroborated in the literature we found.
Loading structure…
helix sheet dttdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 1DK8 · 1.57 Å · ligand 2,3-DIHYDROXY-1,4-DITHIOBUTANE (DTT). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Metaplastic breast carcinoma is rare, accounting for 0.2% to 3.21% of breast cancers depending on the study. In a 1999 retrospective review of 14 patients, median age was 50.5 years and median tumour size was 4.8 cm. Seven of 14 patients had axillary nodal metastases at diagnosis. Only one tumour was oestrogen and progesterone receptor positive. Seven patients were alive without evidence of disease at a median of 7.3 years after surgery. Metastases occurred in five patients at a median of 8 months after initial treatment. The authors concluded that patients may have a favourable prognosis. A 2023 multi-centre study of 215 patients in Pakistan reported a median age of 50 years, with most presenting at stage II (45.1%) or stage III (44.2%). Among patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 31.7% achieved a pathological complete response. The 3-year survival of those who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 96%. Overall, 19.1% of patients died during the study, and median survival duration was 9 years 7 months 9 days. Survival was significantly lower in patients who had metastasis (p = 0.042) or tumour recurrence (p = 0.001).
A 2015 case report describes a 58-year-old woman with a triple-negative (oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER-2 negative) metaplastic carcinoma with chondroid differentiation and a Ki-67 index of 52%. She received adjuvant chemotherapy with AC-T (adriamycin, cytoxan, and taxol). The report notes that although standard breast chemotherapy regimens such as AC-T are routinely used in metaplastic breast cancer, outcomes are significantly inferior to other breast subtypes. A 2018 review states that metaplastic breast cancer accounts for 0.2% of all breast cancers with a survival ranging from 40% to 65%, and describes the cancer as rare and aggressive.
The evidence is contradictory. The 1999 study of 14 patients suggests a favourable prognosis, while the 2018 review reports survival of only 40% to 65% and calls the cancer aggressive. The 2023 study reports a 31.7% pathological complete response rate with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and a 96% 3-year survival in that subgroup, but the 2015 case report states that outcomes with standard chemotherapy are significantly inferior to other breast subtypes. The 2023 authors describe their pathological complete response rate as one of the highest ever reported but note their success is limited. What is still missing is prospective trial data, consistent patient stratification by histological subtype and receptor status, and dedicated funding to move beyond small retrospective series.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Journal of Surgical Oncology · 1999 · 232 citations
Metaplastic carcinomas of the breast
AbstractBACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Metaplastic carcinomas of the breast are rare neoplasms. The purpose of the present study is to better characterize the clinical course, treatment, and prognostic factors of metaplastic breast carcinomas. METHODS: Data of 14 patients with metaplastic breast carcinoma were retrospectively reviewed. The follow-up period ranged from 2 months to 10 years, 10 months (median 4.3 years). RESULTS: The patients' ages ranged from 38 to 66 years (median 50.5 years). The tumors were 2.5 to 18 cm (median 4.8 cm) in size. Seven patients had axillary nodal metastases at the time of diagnosis. Estrogen and progesterone receptors were positive in only one tumor. Twelve patients underwent modified radical mastectomy and two patients underwent incisional biopsy. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to six patients, and radiotherapy to two patients after mastectomy. Two patients received preoperative chemotherapy. Seven patients were living without evidence of disease at a median of 7.3 years after surgery. A patient died of ovarian carcinoma without recurrence or metastasis of breast cancer. Metastases occurred in five patients at 4 to 16 months (median 8 months) after initial treatment. Duration of symptoms, TNM stage, tumor size, and axillary nodal status were significant prognostic factors of survival. CONCLUSIONS: The patients with metaplastic breast carcinomas may have a favorable prognosis.
Breast Cancer Targets and Therapy · 2023 · 8 citations · open access
Clinicopathological Features and Survival Outcomes of Metaplastic Breast Carcinoma – An Observational Multi-Centric Study
AbstractPurpose: To describe the clinicopathological features, and subtypes of metaplastic breast cancer (MpBC) in Pakistan and further to understand its response to treatment, including region-specific survival outcomes. Patients and Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at two private tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan. Our selection criteria included a total of 215 patients who were diagnosed with MpBC at an age older than 18 years from 1994 to 2021. Data regarding clinicopathological features, staging, receptor status, treatment modalities, recurrence, and survival was obtained. Death was scored as an event, and patients who were alive were censored at the time of the last follow-up. Results: The incidence of MpBC at our study centers is 3.21%. The median age of diagnosis was 50 years (range 22 to 80 years) and most patients presented at Stages II (45.1%) and III (44.2%). Among patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 31.7% achieved complete pathological response. The 3-year survival of those who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 96%. During our study, 19.1% of patients died and the median survival duration was 9 years 7 months 9 days. Survival of patients was significantly lower in patients who had metastasis (p-value = 0.042) and those who had tumor recurrence (p-value = 0.001). Conclusion: Metaplastic breast cancer is an extremely rare variant of breast cancer with features that exist as a spectrum. Our study demonstrated considerable success with the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The pathological complete response achieved in our study is one of the highest ever reported. Our success, though limited, warrants further research in the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in MpBC.
Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives · 2015 · 6 citations · open access
Metaplastic breast cancer with chondroid differentiation
AbstractBACKGROUND: Metaplastic carcinoma of the breast is an extremely rare subtype of breast cancer with an incidence of <1% of all breast neoplasms. Metaplastic carcinoma with chondroid differentiation is the rarest among all histologic subtypes of breast cancer. We report a case of infiltrating ductal carcinoma with metaplastic features of chondroid differentiation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 58-year-old-woman presented to our clinic with a 4-month history of a lump in her right breast. On examination, a firm non-tender mass measuring 2×2 cm was noted in the right upper outer quadrant. It was not attached to the underlying structures. Mammography revealed a dense irregular mass in the axillary tail and a circumscribed nodule in the 6 O'clock periareolar region. This was a new development compared to the patient's most recent screening mammogram performed 2 years and 6 months previously. Ultrasound demonstrated a lobulated solid mass in the axillary tail and a simple cyst in the 6 O'clock periareolar region. Biopsy of the areolar region of the right breast revealed atypical duct hyperplasia. Fine needle aspiration cytology of the right breast axillary tail revealed a poorly differentiated invasive carcinoma consistent with mammary duct origin. On histopathological examination, it was an infiltrating ductal carcinoma with metaplastic features of chondroid differentiation. The tumor was estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER-2 negative with 0% nuclear staining. Ki-67 index was 52% with strong nuclear staining. The overall ELSTON grade of invasive carcinoma was grade 3. The patient received adjuvant chemotherapy with AC-T (adriamycin, cytoxan, and taxol) and is currently undergoing surveillance for recurrent disease. CONCLUSION: Metaplastic breast cancer is an extremely rare subtype of breast carcinoma. Initial management of localized disease consists of wide excision with clear surgical margins followed by radiation or mastectomy and sentinel lymph node biopsy. Although standard breast chemotherapy regimens such as AC-T are routinely used in metaplastic breast cancer in both adjuvant and metastatic settings, outcomes are significantly inferior to other breast subtypes. Further studies are required to explore targeted treatment to achieve better outcomes in this patient population.
Medicina Moderna - Modern Medicine · 2022 · 2 citations · open access
Metaplastic Breast Cancer – a Rare, Aggressive Condition with a Poor Prognosis
AbstractMetaplastic breast cancer (MBC) is a rare, aggressive form of breast cancer first described by pathologists in 2000. It is usually discovered in advanced stages and has a low survival rate. It is divided into various subtypes: low- grade adenosquamous, fibromatosis-like metaplastic, squamous cell, spindle cell, metaplastic with mesenchymal differentiation (including chondroid, osseous, or other types), mixed metaplastic, and myoepithelial carcinomas. Surgery is the treatment of choice, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. We present the case of a 44-year-old woman with metaplastic breast cancer, reviewing the characteristics of this condition, the particularities of the case, and the treatment chosen in this particular situation.
Surgical Medicine Open Access Journal · 2018 · 0 citations · open access
Challenges in Managing Metaplastic Breast Cancer-Referencing an Indexed Case and a Ten-Year Experience in a Developing Country
AbstractMetaplastic breast cancer is rare and aggressive, accounting for only 0.2% of all breast cancers with a survival ranging from 40-65%. A recent case from our institution posed many diagnostic and management challenges prompting a review of our local ten-year experience with this cancer and a review of the literature to compare the behaviour of this cancer in a developing country and considering guidelines for management.
Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works (targeted per-candidate search), resolved on OpenAlex.
DeCure is a research and publication project, not medical advice and not a treatment. "DeCure for X" describes a research goal, not a claim that a cure exists. Backing a cure is a contribution to fund the research — it is not an investment, and confers no yield, royalty, equity or IP ownership. Papers are published open-access by the DeCure.ai DAO.
