Immune-based prevention for estrogen receptor–negative breast cancer
Exploring novel strategies for immunoprevention of estrogen receptor negative breast cancer
Researchers are testing whether vitamin E and other immune-boosting approaches can help the immune system prevent estrogen receptor–negative breast cancer in people at higher risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11284090 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team screened dietary supplements and found that natural vitamin E boosts activity of dendritic cells, which help the immune system recognize cancer. They observed that breast cancer patients who took vitamin E during immunotherapy had better responses and survival, and mouse models given vitamin E with cancer vaccines showed longer tumor-free survival. Building on those findings, researchers will develop safe ways to activate dendritic cells and combine vitamin E with vaccine-like approaches to try to prevent ER-negative breast cancers. The work combines lab experiments, animal studies, and human data toward future prevention trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people at increased risk for ER-negative breast cancer who might qualify for prevention trials, such as those with family history, genetic risk factors, or precancerous breast changes.
Not a fit: People with established advanced or metastatic breast cancer or those at low risk for ER-negative disease are unlikely to benefit from this prevention-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to a safe preventive approach that lowers the chance of developing estrogen receptor–negative breast cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Early animal studies and retrospective patient observations provide encouraging signals, but preventive benefit in people has not yet been proven.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yu, Dihua — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Yu, Dihua
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.