How immune cells and lymphatic changes after childbirth affect postpartum breast cancer
The Tumor Microenvironment and Lymphatic Remodeling in Postpartum Breast Cancer
This project looks at how immune cells and lymphatic changes in the breast after childbirth may make postpartum breast cancers more likely to grow and spread, especially in women who did not breastfeed or stopped early.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11248768 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are diagnosed with breast cancer after giving birth, researchers will examine your tumor and nearby breast tissue to see how immune cells and lymphatic vessels change during the postpartum period. They will compare samples from women who breastfed with those who did not and analyze immune cell types, inflammation markers, and tumor genomic features. The team will use laboratory analyses of human tissue and complementary animal or cell models to understand mechanisms behind more aggressive postpartum tumors. The goal is to find biological signatures that could help doctors predict risk and guide treatment for younger women with postpartum breast cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are women diagnosed with breast cancer within about ten years after giving birth, especially younger patients and those who did not breastfeed or stopped breastfeeding early.
Not a fit: People with breast cancers not related to recent pregnancy or those well beyond the postpartum period may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify markers that predict which postpartum breast cancers are likely to spread and suggest interventions to reduce that risk.
How similar studies have performed: Prior epidemiologic studies show breastfeeding lowers postpartum breast cancer risk and early evidence hints that NSAIDs may help, but detailed tumor microenvironment studies in postpartum breast cancer are relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcdonald, Jasmine Alise — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Mcdonald, Jasmine Alise
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.