Blocking Inflammation and Drug Resistance in Obesity-Related Breast Cancer
Official title: Targeting RAGE in tumor and TME to oppose inflammation and drug resistance in obesity associated ER+ breast cancer
Funded at Georgetown University · NIH-11129830 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how inflammation linked to obesity makes estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer more aggressive and resistant to treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgetown University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Washington, United States) |
| Project start | July 7, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $529,962 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA276587-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11129830 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is most relevant to postmenopausal patients with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, particularly those who are also living with obesity.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with breast cancer types not linked to estrogen receptors or obesity may not directly benefit from this specific line of investigation.
What this research studies
Obesity is known to increase the risk and mortality for postmenopausal estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer, and we are working to understand why. Our research focuses on how the inflammatory state associated with obesity drives this type of breast cancer, particularly by making it resistant to current therapies and more likely to spread. We are looking at how higher levels of estrogen (estrone) in obesity, along with a protein called RAGE, work together to fuel cancer growth and metastasis. By understanding these inflammatory pathways in both tumor cells and the surrounding fat tissue, we aim to find new ways to make treatments more effective.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that help overcome drug resistance and prevent the spread of breast cancer in patients with obesity.
How similar studies have gone: While some preliminary data support the role of RAGE in cancer, targeting RAGE specifically to overcome drug resistance in obesity-associated ER+ breast cancer is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgetown University
Washington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hudson, Barry Ian — Georgetown University
- Study coordinator: Hudson, Barry Ian
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Targeting RAGE to fight obesity-related ER+ breast cancer and its drug resistance
A scientist team will explore how obesity-related inflammation involving RAGE and estrone interacts with ER+ breast cancer to drive growth and spread, aiming to find strategies to overcome therapy resistance.
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Investigating how obesity affects breast cancer growth and treatment resistance
This study is looking at how being overweight might raise the risk of a certain type of breast cancer in women after menopause, and it aims to find new ways to improve treatment by understanding how inflammation and hormones play a role in this connection.
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FABP5: How fats in obesity may drive triple negative breast cancer
A study exploring how a fat‑binding protein called FABP5 helps obesity-related fats push the spread of aggressive breast cancer in models that resemble human disease.
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ER+ Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis in a Real Body Environment
This grant aims to understand why estrogen receptor alpha–positive breast cancer often spreads to bone and how the bone environment and immune system affect treatment resistance.
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How fat in our bodies may link obesity to breast cancer risk through A-FABP
This grant looks at how a protein called A-FABP helps obesity from high-fat diets increase the risk of breast cancer, with potential targets for prevention.
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How a mother's obesity might affect her child’s breast cancer risk through the gut
This study investigates whether maternal obesity changes a child’s gut bacteria in a way that could increase breast cancer risk later in life.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.