Improving outcomes for people with a specific type of breast cancer that affects younger women

Who could benefit from this research

What this research studies

This project focuses on triple-negative breast cancer, especially the luminal androgen receptor (LAR) subtype, which tends to respond poorly to standard chemotherapy. Researchers plan to enroll patients who have a high level of androgen receptor expression (AR+) and test AR inhibitors together with current standard-of-care treatments. They will use tumor analyses to identify which patients respond and why, aiming to find biomarkers of success and resistance. The goal is to tailor therapy so LAR TNBC patients have better survival and fewer relapses.

Why it matters

Where this research is happening

• Vanderbilt University Medical Center
  Nashville, United States Active

Researchers

• Principal investigator: Pietenpol, Jennifer a — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
• Study coordinator: Pietenpol, Jennifer a

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

• Genomic study to understand how genetics and epigenetics shape triple-negative breast cancer in African ancestry

  This study looks at how inherited genes and gene activity affect triple-negative breast cancer in people of African ancestry to better understand why outcomes can be worse.

  NIH research Tuskegee University · Tuskegee Institute, United States · NIH-11621786

• Co-Targeting IL-6 and CDK4/6 to Prevent TNBC in Women Veterans

  A study aims to block two cancer-promoting pathways (IL-6 and CDK4/6) to prevent or reduce progression of triple-negative breast cancer in women veterans.

  NIH research Baltimore VA Medical Center · Baltimore, United States · NIH-11608792

• Linking heavy metal exposure to a tougher breast cancer type (TNBC)

  Aimed at understanding how heavy metals like cadmium might trigger a dangerous breast cancer type (TNBC) in people, especially those with BRCA1 risk, to identify possible future treatment strategies.

  NIH research University of Louisville · Louisville, United States · NIH-11567535

• Dormancy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: How Liver and Skin Metastases Go Quiet or Reactivate

  Researchers will study how dormant cancer cells in liver and skin metastases of triple-negative breast cancer become quiescent or wake up, using organ-on-chip models and single-cell analysis to map chromatin states.

  NIH research Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, United States · NIH-11531542

• Rac-enhanced CAR-Macrophages against TNBC

  A new cell therapy approach uses engineered macrophages with a CAR and Rac2 activation to target and kill triple-negative breast cancer cells expressing CSPG4.

  NIH research University of Louisville · Louisville, United States · NIH-11520503

• A new peptide therapy to help treat metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

  A new peptide therapy called PEG-FUD is being tested to help treat metastatic triple-negative breast cancer by normalizing the tumor environment to improve treatment delivery.

  NIH research University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, United States · NIH-11453153

About this research

1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.