Why some ER-positive breast cancers grow without estrogen
Mechanism of estrogen independent proliferation in ER+ breast cancer cells
Learning how some ER-positive breast cancers start growing again without estrogen, to help people with ER+ breast cancer get better treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Duarte, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11166394 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will compare tumor samples taken before and after hormone therapy and CDK4/6 inhibitor treatment to see which cancer cells survive and why. They will use single-cell gene-reading technology and lab-grown matched cancer cells to track changes in estrogen signaling, JNK pathway activity, and cell-cycle control. The team will build a mechanistic model linking estrogen, JNK signaling, and CDK4/6 regulation to pinpoint how tumors bypass hormone dependence. Findings will guide ideas for therapies to prevent or reverse resistance in early-stage ER+ breast cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with early-stage ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer who are receiving or can provide tumor biopsies before and after endocrine and/or CDK4/6 inhibitor treatment.
Not a fit: Patients with HER2-positive or triple-negative breast cancer, or those not receiving endocrine or CDK4/6 therapy, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal targets or strategies to prevent or overcome resistance to hormone plus CDK4/6 drugs in early-stage ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Combining CDK4/6 inhibitors with endocrine therapy has improved outcomes in metastatic ER+ breast cancer, but applying single-cell approaches to understand resistance in earlier-stage disease is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Duarte, United States
- Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope — Duarte, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bild, Andrea Hope — Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope
- Study coordinator: Bild, Andrea Hope
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.