Immunopathogenesis and Molecularbiology in Breast Cancer Subtypes
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Analysis of functional immune cell stroma and malignant cell interactions in breast cancer in order to discover and develop diagnostics and therapies in breast cancer sub-types
IRAS ID
131133
Contact name
Andrew Tutt
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Kings College London School of Medicine
Research summary
Breast cancer is a major cause of illness and death in women in the UK. It is now widely recognized that many cancers, including breast cancers, elicit immune cell engagement with tumour cells and stromal cells resulting in the production of cytokines and immune responses directed against over-expressed or aberrantly presented antigens. A greater understanding of these interactions has had significant effects in improving the outlook in other diseases like melanoma but has not been extensively studied in breast cancer.
In this collaborative study we propose to investigate immune responses in patient derived breast cancer specimens and relevant control normal material in Professor Tutt`s program together with an extensive range of laboratory and some mouse in vivo microscopy and functional imaging Flow Cytometry (FACS), and immune cell functional analysis techniques available in the groups of Hayday, Nestle, Karagiannis and Ng. Using these analyses and derived materials we aim to develop new diagnostic biomarkers and therapies for sub-types within breast cancer.
A main aim of our project is to study the antibody immune responses in the tissues in and around primary and metastatic tumours and blood, in patients with breast cancer. We will focus on the presence of natural antibodies and antibody−producing B cells and another class of immune cells, called T cells, in these areas. This will lead to a better understanding of B and T cell responses against cancer cells, never previously examined to our knowledge in any detail in breast cancer. As a result of this work, we aim to examine, discover and manufacture more effective, fully human antibodies for breast cancer that can be used as diagnostic or therapeutic tools we also hope to understand adaptive T cell and innate immune responses to cancer that might inform other immune-modulatory therapy approaches to breast cancer.
REC name
London - Chelsea Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/1248
Date of REC Opinion
7 Nov 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion