from the ClinicalTrials.gov record
In 2020, over 31,000 new cancer cases were reported in Kazakhstan, and breast cancer was the most common type, with more than 4,200 new cases. This pattern has been seen in previous years as well. Because of how common breast cancer is, it's a major concern not only for individuals but also for the country's overall public health.
Thankfully, most breast cancer cases (about 94%) are found in the early to middle stages (stages I-III), when treatment is usually possible. However, treatment-especially surgery-can still be physically and emotionally challenging. After surgery, some patients experience complications like scarring or swelling (lymphedema). Additionally, losing a breast can deeply affect a woman's body image, sense of femininity, and overall mental well-being. These emotional effects can make it harder for patients to return to their normal lives.
To help improve recovery and quality of life, modern medicine now often recommends immediate breast reconstruction, where a breast implant is placed during the same surgery that removes the tumor. This approach has become the gold standard in breast cancer care.
However, for patients with breast cancer, placing implants is more complex. Doctors often need to use special materials-called fixation devices-to hold the implant in place. Most of these devices are made from synthetic (man-made) materials like plastic meshes. Unfortunately, these materials can sometimes cause inflammation or be rejected by the body.
In 2018, a new option was proposed: using biological materials made from animal tissue (called acellular collagen matrices). These materials are designed to work better with the body and reduce the chance of complications. They have shown promise in practice, but they're very expensive, and their performance can vary depending on how they're made and where they come from.
To address this, a team of Kazakhstani researchers developed a local alternative called AXM, made from specially treated cow tissue (bovine peritoneum). AXM has already shown good results as a wound covering in both lab and clinical settings, including use inside the body.
Now, researchers are studying whether AXM can also work effectively as a support material for breast implants in cancer patients. Because implant fixation requires strong, stable support, and different biological materials behave differently in the body, more research is needed to confirm whether AXM is a safe, reliable, and cost-effective solution for breast reconstruction.