Personalizing estrogen therapy for ER-positive breast cancer
Official title: A precision medicine basis for estrogen therapy for advanced breast cancer
Funded at Medical College of Wisconsin · NIH-11304574 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project finds how the hormone estrogen can kill certain ER-positive breast cancers and how to tell which patients will benefit.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical College of Wisconsin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $379,383 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA200994-11 |
| Project ID | NIH-11304574 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with estrogen receptor–positive (ER+) breast cancer, particularly those whose tumors show ER overexpression, amplification, or ESR1 mutations, are the most relevant candidates for this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with ER-negative breast cancer or tumors that lack ER-related changes are unlikely to benefit from findings focused on estrogen sensitivity.
What this research studies
Researchers are studying how the estrogen 17β-estradiol causes DNA damage that can lead ER-positive breast cancer cells to die, using tumor samples and laboratory models. They will test whether blocking DNA repair pathways makes tumors more sensitive to estrogen. They will also examine how changes in the estrogen receptor gene (ESR1), such as amplification or mutation, influence tumor response. The team aims to identify tumor features that predict benefit and suggest strategies to improve responses to estrogen therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could identify which ER-positive patients are likely to respond to estrogen therapy and point to combination treatments that increase effectiveness.
How similar studies have gone: Some clinical reports show that estrogen can shrink certain endocrine-resistant ER+ tumors, but the molecular reasons for those responses remain unclear.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Miller, Todd W. — Medical College of Wisconsin
- Study coordinator: Miller, Todd W.
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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.