Rational approaches to improve treatment for breast cancer that has spread to the brain
Official title: Project 2: Rational approaches to improve treatment outcomes of patients with breast cancer brain metastases
Funded at Dana-Farber Cancer Inst · NIH-11414846 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aimed at boosting how well a HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugate works for people whose breast cancer has spread to the brain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2013 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $268,500 |
| NIH project number | 5P50CA168504-12 |
| Project ID | NIH-11414846 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with HER2-positive or HER-low breast cancer brain metastases who may be eligible for ADC-based therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not respond to HER2-targeted ADCs or who cannot tolerate combination therapies.
What this research studies
This project will explore combinations that may make HER2-targeted therapies more effective against brain metastases from breast cancer. Researchers will use patient-derived models to test how PI3Kβ inhibitors and immune therapies can work with the antibody-drug conjugate T-DXd to overcome the protective brain environment. The work will involve both preclinical testing and planned clinical trials to see if these strategies improve outcomes for patients with brain metastases. If successful, this could lead to new treatments that reach brain tumors more effectively and stimulate a stronger anti-tumor response.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Potentially improved control of brain metastases and better survival for patients with breast cancer that has spread to the brain.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies suggest ADCs can cross the disrupted blood-tumor barrier in brain metastases, supporting this approach as promising but still under investigation.
Where this research is happening
-
Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lin, Nancy U — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Lin, Nancy U
Related research
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Tracking how neural stem cells move to brain tumors in breast cancer patients
This study is looking at how special brain cells called neural stem cells move towards tumors in the brains of breast cancer patients, with the hope of using these cells to deliver better treatments directly to the tumors.
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Improving treatment for breast cancer that has spread to the brain
Trying antibody-drug combinations and immune-targeting drugs to help people with HER2-positive or HER2-low breast cancer that has spread to the brain.
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.