Lay summary
Two-thirds of cancer deaths occur when cancers spread around the body. When cancer spreads to the brain (brain metastases), patients have a dismal prognosis with the metastases challenging to treat. New treatment strategies in Aotearoa are urgently needed. We propose that a drug used to treat iron deficiency, anaemia, which can cross into the brain could also treat some brain metastasis by exploiting unique properties of these metastases. We will investigate if brain metastases are vulnerable to the anaemia drug. In the clinic and the laboratory, we will test if brain metastases have an iron accumulation signature that leads to greater drug uptake, and if this is sufficient to target metastases by triggering cancer cell death by iron overload. The anaemia drug is relatively low cost with a good safety record and may provide a new treatment opportunity and improved prognosis for those with otherwise limited treatment options.