Using advanced imaging to understand HER2+ breast cancer spread to the brain
Official title: Advanced PET/MRI to quantify heterogeneity of HER2 and vasculature in HER2+ breast-to-brain metastasis prior to combination targeted and radiotherapy
Funded at University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-11112842 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how HER2-positive breast cancer spreads to the brain and how well it responds to treatment, using special imaging techniques to help doctors find the best ways to target therapy for patients before they start radiation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2025 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $204,295 |
| NIH project number | 1R21CA289166-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11112842 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with HER2+ breast cancer who have developed metastases to the brain.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with HER2-negative breast cancer or those without brain metastases are unlikely to benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on using advanced imaging techniques to evaluate how HER2+ breast cancer spreads to the brain and how it responds to treatment. By employing molecular imaging methods, the study aims to quantify the availability and variability of HER2 in brain metastases, which can help in tailoring targeted therapies. Patients will undergo noninvasive imaging procedures that assess the delivery of treatment to brain lesions before they receive radiation therapy. This approach could lead to better treatment outcomes by identifying which areas of the tumor are most responsive to therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatment strategies for patients with HER2+ breast cancer that has spread to the brain.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results using advanced imaging techniques in similar contexts, indicating potential for success in this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sorace, Anna C — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Sorace, Anna C
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Mapping HER2 and blood flow in HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread to the brain
Using advanced PET/MRI scans to map how HER2 protein and blood flow vary inside brain metastases in people with HER2-positive breast cancer before they get targeted drugs and radiation.
-
Nanoparticles that boost MRI to find tiny brain metastases
This uses tiny magnetic nanoparticles and new MRI image processing to help doctors find very small brain metastases earlier in people with cancer.
-
Prolactin signaling and brain metastasis in HER2-positive breast cancer
Researchers are studying how prolactin signals help HER2-positive breast cancer cells grow in the brain, with the goal of finding new ideas to prevent brain metastases.
-
ATM kinase as a target to help NSCLC with brain metastases respond to treatment
A study from Yale University tests whether blocking ATM kinase can delay or overcome treatment resistance in people with advanced non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to the brain and other organs.
-
How an immune signal in brain support cells helps breast cancer spread to the brain
This project looks at whether a specific immune signal in brain support cells (astrocytes) helps breast cancer cells grow in the brain, aiming to help people with breast cancer that has spread to the brain.
-
Brain cancer cells and brain cells talk to each other to spread to the brain
A research project uses computer and mouse studies to understand how cancer cells that spread from breast or lung tumors grow in the brain and interact with brain support cells.
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.