Researchers explore a potential role for NKR antagonists in breast cancer biology
· Medical Xpressby The North American Menopause Society
edited by Swati Mestri, reviewed by Andrew Zinin
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Neurokinin receptor (NKR) antagonists are already widely used to treat menopausal hot flashes, providing an effective nonhormone treatment.
A new study suggests they may also help breast cancer patients by limiting the spread of cancer cells and helping to prevent cancer recurrence. Results of the study will be presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting of The Menopause Society in San Diego Oct. 20–24, 2026.
During menopause, declining estrogen levels disrupt the brain's thermostat, located in the hypothalamus. This estrogen drop causes a specific group of brain cells, known as KNDy neurons, to become hyperactive and overproduce a peptide called neurokinin B (NKB).
Overactive NKB signaling tricks the body into feeling overheated, triggering sudden sweating and flushing. Neurokinin receptor antagonists work by blocking these receptors, calming the overstimulated pathway and stabilizing body temperature regulation without using hormones.
Researchers recently asked where, other than the hypothalamus, NKB receptors are expressed. This question led to an exploration of a possible role for NKB receptor signaling in the breast and whether NKR antagonists may also have a role in modulating breast cancer risk.
What they discovered through in silico analyses is that downregulation of NKR signaling (as occurs with the use of NKR antagonists) suppresses molecular pathways that promote invasiveness and metastatic spread. These data suggest that NKR antagonists may have the potential to modify breast cancer cell behavior to reduce invasiveness and spread.
The investigators next examined expression of NKB receptors in human breast tissue. Immunohistochemical analyses showed a linear increase in the tissue expression of NKRs from normal to hyperplastic to cancerous breast tissue. They found that these receptors are overexpressed in cancerous breast tissue, and these findings suggest that NKR signaling is relevant to cancer progression.
In vitro treatment of various human breast cancer cells with NKR antagonists resulted in reduced cancer cell viability and downregulated oncogenic pathways that are relevant to cancer progression and resistance to therapeutics.
Based on the findings, the researchers hypothesize that the benefits of NKR antagonists may extend beyond the recognized effectiveness of this class of drugs against hot flashes and sleep problems.
"These findings are indeed intriguing and suggest that long-term use of NKR antagonist drugs may hold therapeutic potential for curbing breast cancer progression, and even for preventing breast cancer recurrence. But, of course, these hypothesized effects must first be substantiated in appropriately designed studies. We are working toward gaining this clarity, so do stay tuned," says Dr. Lubna Pal, lead author from Yale University in Connecticut.
Details of the study will be discussed as part of the presentation titled "Exploring the promise of NKR antagonists—beyond the flashes, the sweats, and sleep."
"Neurokinin receptor antagonists have already transformed the treatment landscape for women seeking nonhormone therapy for vasomotor symptoms," says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for The Menopause Society.
"These early findings raise intriguing questions about whether this class of medications may have biologic effects beyond symptom management. Although the results are preliminary and derived from laboratory and tissue-based studies, they provide a foundation for future research exploring the potential role of neurokinin signaling in breast health and breast cancer."
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OncologyWomen's healthObstetrics & gynecology Provided by The North American Menopause Society Who's behind this story?
Swati Mestri
Swati Mestri holds a bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering and has worked as a content editor since 2019. She has experience editing research documents across technology, health care, and materials science, and has a particular interest in technology and space. Full profile →
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