Developing an immunotherapy for triple negative breast cancer

Background 

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women with over 20,000 women expected to be diagnosed in 2022. Among them, around 20% will have triple negative breast cancer, an aggressive subtype of the disease. Survival outcomes for triple negative breast cancer are poorer as there aren’t any targeted treatments for this subtype. New therapies that can effectively treat triple negative breast cancer and keep it from spreading are urgently needed. 

The research

It’s known that cells called Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSCs) dampen the body’s immune response to breast cancer and help tumours grow and spread. These cells are particularly active in triple negative breast cancer tumours. However, targeting these cells is challenging as they are very similar to life-saving immune cells.

Using high resolution molecular profiling technology, Associate Professor Gallego Ortega and his team have been studying MDSCs – trying to understand how they work, so they can develop treatments that block these cells. The team believe they have found some key differences between MDSCs and immune cells. In this project, the team will develop biomarkers for MDSC to detect the early spread of triple negative breast cancer cells to other parts of the body and refine a treatment prototype that targets only MDSCs leaving immune cells unharmed.