Trending Now - Asthma Medication Shows Promise in Battling Tough Cancers

WHO:

Live Science - Dr. Bin Zhang, a professor of cancer immunology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, is a co-author of the study.

Yahoo - Dr. Bin Zhang is also identified as the study leader.

WHAT:

Live Science - A common asthma drug, montelukast, may be repurposed to help treat hard-to-treat cancers, including triple-negative breast cancer.

Live Science - The study suggests that blocking the protein CysLTR1 can reverse cancer resistance to immunotherapy.

Yahoo - Researchers found that blocking CysLTR1 with montelukast improved the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy drugs.

Yahoo - In lab experiments, blocking CysLTR1 slowed tumor growth and helped the immune system recover its ability to fight cancer.

WHERE:

Live Science - The research was conducted at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Yahoo - The study was published in the journal Nature Cancer.

WHEN:

Live Science - The research was published on May 19 in the journal Nature Cancer.

Yahoo - Patient trials could start soon, as montelukast is already FDA-approved.

WHY:

Live Science - Tumors may hijack CysLTR1 to turn immune cells called neutrophils into tumor-promoting agents, which helps them resist immunotherapy.

Yahoo - The study aims to provide new options for patients with aggressive cancers, like triple-negative breast cancer, where new treatments are urgently needed.

HOW:

Live Science - Researchers blocked CysLTR1 in lab mice using montelukast, which resulted in slowed tumor growth and increased survival time.

Live Science - The study involved experiments with human cells, where blocking CysLTR1 reduced neutrophils' ability to suppress cancer-killing immune cells.

Yahoo - The mechanism involved tumors activating CysLTR1 to increase production of polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells, which suppress immune defenses.

(UPDATED May 21, 2026 08:15 UTC)

A new study led by Dr. Bin Zhang at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine suggests that the common asthma drug montelukast may be repurposed to treat hard-to-treat cancers like triple-negative breast cancer. Researchers found that blocking the protein CysLTR1 with montelukast not only slowed tumor growth in lab experiments but also improved the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy drugs by helping the immune system regain its ability to fight cancer. With patient trials expected to start soon, this research aims to provide new treatment options for patients facing aggressive cancers, where innovative therapies are urgently needed.