Gene expression marks high risk for very late breast cancer return
Official title: Using gene expression to identify patients at high risk for late breast cancer recurrence
Funded at University of Vermont & St Agric College · NIH-11535236 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-focused study aims to find gene patterns that identify women with early breast cancer who are most likely to have cancer come back more than a decade later.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Vermont & St Agric College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Burlington, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $223,755 |
| NIH project number | 3R01CA286069-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11535236 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Premenopausal and postmenopausal women with ER-positive non-metastatic breast cancer who have survived at least 10 years after initial diagnosis and treatment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not carry the identified late-recurrence gene signatures or who do not experience late recurrence may not benefit from changes in monitoring or treatment.
What this research studies
This project looks at women with non-metastatic breast cancer who have lived without a recurrence for 10 years or more. Researchers will compare gene expression data from those who experience late distant recurrences to those who remain recurrence-free, over up to 20 years of follow-up. The goal is to find a reliable gene signature that predicts very late recurrence, helping doctors tailor monitoring and preventive strategies. If successful, the findings could inform which patients might benefit from longer-term follow-up or preventive approaches despite the toxicity concerns of late-recurrence therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If the approach succeeds, patients at high risk for very late recurrence could receive more personalized monitoring or preventive options to reduce the chance of late relapse.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have explored recurrence biomarkers, but this study uses larger samples and longer follow-up focused on very late recurrence.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Vermont & St Agric College
Burlington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ahern, Thomas Patrick — University of Vermont & St Agric College
- Study coordinator: Ahern, Thomas Patrick
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Using gene expression to identify patients at high risk for late breast cancer recurrence
Researchers are studying breast cancer patients to find gene patterns that predict who might have cancer come back many years later, so doctors can tailor care for those at highest risk.
-
Gene tests to find women at high risk of breast cancer returning many years later
This project looks for patterns in tumor gene activity to spot women with ER-positive breast cancer who are more likely to have the cancer come back more than 10 years after initial treatment.
-
Enhancing pre-surgery therapy to prevent breast cancer recurrence
A new program tests ways to boost chemotherapy given before surgery to lower the chance that breast cancer comes back, especially focusing on groups that have had worse outcomes.
-
FoRtitude: an online program to ease fear of cancer recurrence for breast cancer survivors
A woman who has finished breast cancer treatment uses an online program to learn easy CBT-based steps to feel less worried about cancer coming back.
-
Prognostic staging for recurrent breast cancer to guide care
A Duke University-led project aims to create a prognostic classification system for women whose breast cancer has come back, so clinicians can discuss outcomes and plan treatment more clearly.
-
Predicting breast cancer recurrence and chemotherapy need using pathology images and AI
A doctor-scientist at a major university is developing an AI-based tool that uses pathology slides to predict which breast cancer patients will benefit from chemotherapy.
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.