Boosting the body's defenses against advanced breast cancer by easing tumor pressure
Official title: Improving anti-tumor immunity in advanced breast cancer by targeting solid stress
Funded at Boston University Medical Campus · NIH-11089375 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how a common blood pressure medicine might help immune cells better fight advanced breast cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $421,414 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA284133-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11089375 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational work is for patients with advanced breast cancer who might benefit from improved immunotherapy responses in the future.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate treatment options would not directly benefit from this early-stage laboratory research.
What this research studies
For patients with advanced breast cancer, current immune treatments don't always work well, especially if immune cells can't get into the tumor. We've found that breast cancer tumors can be very dense, squeezing blood vessels and making it hard for helpful immune cells to reach the cancer. This project will use a medication called losartan, which is already used for high blood pressure, to see if it can loosen up the tumor tissue, open up blood vessels, and allow more immune cells to get inside. Our goal is to make existing immunotherapies more effective by helping the body's own defenses reach and attack the cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to new ways to make immunotherapies more effective for patients with advanced breast cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work by this team has shown that losartan can reduce tumor density and improve immune cell access in laboratory models.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston University Medical Campus
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jones, Dennis — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Jones, Dennis
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A breast cancer treatment study tests whether a common blood pressure drug (losartan) can help immune cells get into tumors and work better with immunotherapy.
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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.