1st FERO-GHD Breast Cancer Research Project – Dr Violeta Serra and Dr Judith Balmaña
1st FERO-GHD Breast Cancer Research Project
Dra. Violeta Serra y Dra. Judith Balmaña
Development of a liquid biopsy test to determine the functional status of homologous recombination in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers with breast cancer, to support therapy selection.
€80,000
The project aims to assess whether liquid biopsy is useful for optimising a test that identifies the most sensitive tumours and monitors response to treatment in patients with breast cancer who carry a mutation in the BRCA1/2 genes. Tumours with a mutation in these genes do not adequately repair certain DNA errors and are therefore extremely sensitive to a type of targeted therapy with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi). However, as the tumour evolves it may lose this sensitivity. In fact, it has been observed that 40% of metastatic tumours show intrinsic resistance, and most of those that are sensitive eventually progress. The research aims to develop a sensitivity test that can be used in liquid biopsies. This achievement would make it possible to monitor treatment responses longitudinally and in a less invasive way than tumour biopsies. This will enable the prescription of the most beneficial treatments for each patient and reduce the use of those that would be ineffective.
