Understanding how chemotherapy affects breast cancer spread and liver immunity
Official title: Understanding the impact of chemotherapy on breast cancer metastasis and immune function in the liver
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11402772 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project looks at how standard breast cancer chemotherapy may change the immune system and cancer spread, especially to the liver, in people with aggressive breast cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 7, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $504,207 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA279959-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11402772 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with triple-negative breast cancer who are treated with standard chemotherapy and may be candidates for immunotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not receiving immunotherapy or not fitting the TNBC profile may not benefit from insights gained.
What this research studies
This study investigates how chemotherapy used for triple-negative breast cancer impacts immune cells and the liver environment, potentially influencing metastatic spread. Using data from mouse models and clinical samples, researchers will explore changes in immune cell activity and tumor behavior after AC-T chemotherapy and how this may affect responses to immunotherapy. The goal is to identify factors that limit durable benefits from immune checkpoint inhibitors and to guide safer, more effective treatments for patients with metastatic TNBC.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to better treatment strategies that preserve immune function and reduce liver metastasis, improving outcomes for patients with TNBC.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show chemotherapy can alter immune function; this project builds on both animal models and human samples to understand these effects in liver metastasis.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcallister, Sandra S — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Mcallister, Sandra S
Related research
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How chemotherapy can change breast cancer spread to the liver and the immune system
This research will learn whether standard chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer changes immune cells in the liver and makes liver metastasis more likely.
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Investigating how chemotherapy affects breast cancer spread and immune function in the liver
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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.