How changes in breast fat affect breast cancer spread
Mechanical properties of adipose tissue and its effect on breast cancer
This research looks at whether physical changes in breast fat, especially with obesity, help cancer cells invade and spread in people with breast cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cornell University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ithaca, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11189615 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will study how the physical properties of fat cells and the surrounding breast tissue change with obesity and when tumors are present. They will use a mix of lab experiments with human tissue samples, engineered cell models, and animal models to measure stiffness, lipid loss, and cell-type changes in adipose tissue. Imaging and molecular tests will track how those tissue changes alter the extracellular matrix and influence cancer cell movement and metabolism. The work aims to connect fat-tissue mechanics to the steps that let breast cancer invade and spread.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be people with breast cancer—especially those with obesity—who are willing to provide tissue or biospecimens during treatment or surgery.
Not a fit: People without breast cancer or those seeking immediate therapeutic benefit are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this laboratory-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or slow breast cancer spread by targeting harmful changes in breast fat, particularly for people with obesity.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory studies by this group and others have shown that fat-tissue mechanics can influence cancer cell invasion in models, but translating those findings into patient treatments is still new.
Where this research is happening
Ithaca, United States
- Cornell University — Ithaca, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fischbach, Claudia — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Fischbach, Claudia
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.