Why some estrogen-positive breast cancers keep growing without estrogen
Official title: Mechanism of estrogen independent proliferation in ER+ breast cancer cells
Funded at Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope · NIH-11211302 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks for why some estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) breast cancers continue to grow despite hormone therapy and CDK4/6 drugs, aiming to help people with early-stage ER+ breast cancer.
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 start | September 1, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $93,333 |
| NIH project number | 3U01CA264620-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11211302 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with early-stage estrogen receptor–positive, HER2–negative breast cancer who are having preoperative or biopsy-linked treatment and sample collection.
✕Less likely to help
People with estrogen receptor–negative or HER2‑positive breast cancer, or those not undergoing biopsy-based treatment, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are trying to understand why some ER+ breast cancers stop responding to hormone therapy and CDK4/6 inhibitors. They study tumor samples taken before and during preoperative treatment and analyze individual cells' gene activity to see which signaling pathways become active in resistant tumors. In the lab they use matched cell models and a new mechanistic model linking estrogen and JNK signaling to cell-cycle control to test how increased CDK6 or loss of cell-cycle inhibitors lets cells restart growth. The team hopes to identify molecular signs of resistance that could guide better treatment decisions in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors predict who will stop responding to hormone plus CDK4/6 therapy and suggest ways to prevent or overcome that resistance.
How similar studies have gone: Combining CDK4/6 inhibitors with hormone therapy has improved outcomes in metastatic ER+ breast cancer, but applying and fully understanding this approach in earlier-stage disease and the specific resistance mechanisms remains newer and less proven.
Where this research is happening
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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
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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ER+ Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis in a Real Body Environment
This grant aims to understand why estrogen receptor alpha–positive breast cancer often spreads to bone and how the bone environment and immune system affect treatment resistance.
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Targeting RAGE to fight obesity-related ER+ breast cancer and its drug resistance
A scientist team will explore how obesity-related inflammation involving RAGE and estrone interacts with ER+ breast cancer to drive growth and spread, aiming to find strategies to overcome therapy resistance.
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Understanding estrogen signals in bone to stop ER+ breast cancer spread
This NIH grant aims to uncover how estrogen signals inside bone help ER-positive breast cancer cells grow and spread, with the goal of finding better ways to prevent bone metastasis.
-
Progesterone Receptor Signaling and Dormancy in ER+ Breast Cancer
Researchers are studying how hormone signals in ER+/PR+ breast cancer influence cancer cell dormancy and later recurrence.
-
Heavy Metals and Breast Cancer Treatment Resistance
This project explores how exposure to heavy metals might make ER+ breast cancer harder to treat and how we might overcome this challenge.
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Turning ER-positive breast cancer into a viral target for immune attack
This project aims to wake up viral-like bits inside ER-positive breast cancer cells so the immune system can spot and attack them.
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.