Understanding How Breast Cancer Spreads to the Lungs
The Biology of Lung Metastasis in Breast Cancer
This project aims to understand how breast cancer cells spread from the original tumor to the lungs and grow there, which is a major challenge in treating the disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albert Einstein College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11126041 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Breast cancer spreading to other parts of the body, especially the lungs, is a serious concern and the main reason why breast cancer becomes life-threatening. While we know a lot about how cancer cells leave the first tumor, we don't fully understand how they settle in new places like the lungs, survive, and start growing again. This project focuses on these less-understood steps, looking at how cancer cells adapt to new environments and what makes them more aggressive. By learning more about these processes, we hope to find new ways to stop breast cancer from spreading.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research is for patients with breast cancer, particularly those concerned about or experiencing metastasis, as it aims to uncover new therapeutic targets.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate new treatments or direct clinical trial participation may not directly benefit from this early-stage, basic science project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that prevent breast cancer from spreading to the lungs or stop it once it has started.
How similar studies have performed: While the general mechanisms of metastasis are studied, this project focuses on less understood aspects of cancer cell survival and growth at distant sites, making its specific approach somewhat novel.
Where this research is happening
Bronx, United States
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine — Bronx, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Backer, Jonathan M. — Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Backer, Jonathan M.
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.