How race and ancestry may shape breast tumors' immune response to immunotherapy
Race and ancestry as predictors of the tumor immune microenvironment and response to immunotherapy
This project looks at whether race and ancestry change how breast cancers—especially triple-negative breast cancer—respond to immune checkpoint drugs in women.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144514 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's viewpoint, researchers will compare tumor immune features and treatment patterns across racial, ethnic, and ancestry groups to understand differences in response to immunotherapy. They will use population-based cancer registry data to see which groups are receiving checkpoint inhibitors and link those records to tumor immune measures and outcomes. The team will analyze tumor samples for immune cell infiltration and other immune markers, and compare results across Black, Hispanic/Latina, Asian, and White women. Findings aim to clarify whether observed differences in tumor immune environments relate to therapy benefit or disparities in care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Women with breast cancer—particularly those with triple-negative disease—and patients from diverse racial and ancestry backgrounds who have tumor samples or registry records would be the best fits for participation or data inclusion.
Not a fit: People without breast cancer, men with breast cancer, or patients whose tumors or records are not available in participating registries are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help tailor immunotherapy approaches and reduce racial and ancestry-related disparities in breast cancer outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: Some clinical trials show immunotherapy can help triple-negative breast cancer, but studies comparing responses by race or genetic ancestry are limited and this work addresses a relatively unexplored area.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ziv, Elad — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Ziv, Elad
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.