Creating a new treatment approach for aggressive breast cancer
Official title: Developing a novel combination immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer
Funded at University of Hawaii at Manoa · NIH-10930903 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at new ways to treat triple-negative breast cancer by combining immune therapy with special drugs that target the cancer's surroundings, and it's for patients who want to know if they might benefit from this approach.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Hawaii at Manoa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Honolulu, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $618,212 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA278056-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10930903 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer who have not responded well to standard treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-triple-negative breast cancer or those who have already exhausted all treatment options may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on improving treatment options for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer. The team aims to combine immunotherapy with specific inhibitors that target the tumor microenvironment, which is crucial for the cancer's growth and resistance to treatment. By understanding how certain pathways influence the immune response in TNBC, the researchers hope to identify new biomarkers that can predict which patients will benefit from this combination therapy. The study will involve laboratory experiments and may lead to clinical trials for patients who qualify.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatment options for patients with triple-negative breast cancer, potentially improving survival rates and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in using combination therapies for cancer treatment, suggesting that this approach could yield significant advancements.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ueno, Naoto T. — University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Study coordinator: Ueno, Naoto T.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Rac-enhanced CAR-Macrophages against TNBC
A new cell therapy approach uses engineered macrophages with a CAR and Rac2 activation to target and kill triple-negative breast cancer cells expressing CSPG4.
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Determinants of Response to DNA-Damaging Radiation and Immunotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
This grant explores why some people with triple-negative breast cancer respond to a combo of radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy and why others don’t, to guide more personalized treatment.
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New immunotherapy combo for hard-to-treat triple-negative breast cancer
Aims to test a combination immunotherapy with JNK inhibitors to improve treatment for people with triple-negative breast cancer.
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Reprogrammed exosome immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer
A new treatment approach uses engineered exosomes to stimulate the immune system to fight triple-negative breast cancer in patients.
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Engineered CD4+ T cells targeting KK‑LC‑1 for triple‑negative breast cancer
This project creates engineered CD4+ T cells that recognize the KK‑LC‑1 tumor antigen to help people with HLA‑DR13-positive triple‑negative breast cancer.
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Why some triple-negative breast cancers respond to radiation plus immunotherapy and others resist
This project looks at whether patterns of tumor cell death and immune signals can predict and improve responses to radiation combined with anti-PD1 immunotherapy for people with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer that has spread to lymph nodes.
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.