Expanding treatment options for aggressive triple-negative breast cancer using p53/MDM2/MDMX/PARP biomarkers
Pilot Research Project: Evaluating Breast Cancer Patient Populations for Therapeutic Targeting of Aberrant p53, MDM2, MDMX, and PARP signaling
This project aims to expand PARP inhibitor treatment to people with aggressive triple-negative breast cancer who show abnormal p53, MDM2/MDMX, or PARP markers, not only those with BRCA1 mutations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Temple Univ of the Commonwealth NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11189661 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will analyze already-collected breast tumor samples from patients to look for protein markers including mutant p53, MDM2, MDMX, and PARP. They will build tissue microarrays and compare marker levels between African American and European American patients to identify who might benefit from PARP inhibitor therapy. The work uses existing patient samples and laboratory platforms at Temple University and Hunter College and includes mentoring of students from the community. The project also involves community education so people affected by TNBC can learn about biomarkers and ask informed questions during care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with triple-negative breast cancer, especially African American patients and others whose tumors show abnormal p53, MDM2/MDMX, or PARP markers, are the intended focus.
Not a fit: People with non–triple-negative breast cancers or tumors that lack these specific biomarkers are unlikely to benefit from the approaches this project targets.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, more people with triple-negative breast cancer — including those without BRCA1 mutations — could become eligible for PARP inhibitor therapy.
How similar studies have performed: PARP inhibitors work well for BRCA-mutant breast cancer, but using p53/MDM2/MDMX/PARP markers to broaden PARP use is relatively novel and not yet established in large clinical trials.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- Temple Univ of the Commonwealth — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Connolly, Denise C — Temple Univ of the Commonwealth
- Study coordinator: Connolly, Denise C
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 below.