Understanding how dormant breast cancer cells wake up and cause relapse
Official title: Mechanisms of Early Breast Cancer Local and Distant Relapse
Funded at Albert Einstein College of Medicine · NIH-11335049 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research team will look at how dormant cancer cells hide and later cause local or distant breast cancer relapse, with a goal to identify ways to prevent or treat it.
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 start | August 26, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $2,038,280 |
| NIH project number | 1P01CA295557-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11335049 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with a history of breast cancer who may harbor dormant cancer cells or be at risk for relapse, including those with DCIS or early-stage disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without a history of breast cancer or with non-dormant disease may not directly benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This project studies why some breast cancer cells remain dormant after surgery and adjuvant therapy and later reactivate to cause relapse. Researchers will examine dormant disseminated cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment to uncover factors that keep these cells hidden or trigger their growth. The work combines new data from patient samples and laboratory models to map pathways leading to dormancy and reactivation. By understanding these mechanisms, the team aims to identify potential targets for therapies that could prevent relapse years after initial treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new strategies to prevent breast cancer relapse by keeping cancer cells dormant or eliminating them.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that disseminated cancer cells can persist for years and contribute to relapse, but effective dormancy-targeted therapies are not yet established.
Where this research is happening
-
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Aguirre-Ghiso, Julio a. — Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Aguirre-Ghiso, Julio a.
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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.