Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer that lacks estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors, making it resistant to many conventional targeted therapies. Traditionally, chemotherapy has been the main treatment option for TNBC, but it often comes with high recurrence rates and significant side effects.
In recent years, immunotherapy has emerged as a promising
treatment for TNBC. Immunotherapies, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors,
have shown efficacy in treating this challenging cancer.
Although immunotherapy has shown promise, particularly with immune checkpoint inhibitors like pembrolizumab, not all TNBC patients respond to these treatments. The variability in response is attributed to factors such as the tumor's genetic makeup, the presence of immune cells within the tumor environment, and individual differences in patients' immune systems. As a result, despite the advancements and potential of immunotherapy, a significant proportion of TNBC patients still experience disease progression and recurrence, highlighting the need for continued research and the development of more effective therapeutic strategies.
In our laboratory we investigate new therapeutic strategies based on a new tumor escape mechanism.
Our studies focusess on:
1. Cancer Biomarkers: Identifying and validating biomarkers that can be used for early detection, prognosis, and monitoring of cancer. These biomarkers are crucial for developing personalized medicine approaches and improving patient outcomes.
2. Targeted Therapies: Exploring novel therapeutic targets and developing strategies to enhance the effectiveness of existing treatments. This includes research on drug resistance mechanisms and combination therapies to overcome these challenges.
3. Tumor Microenvironment: Examining the role of the tumor microenvironment, including interactions between cancer cells and immune cells. Understanding these interactions can lead to new immunotherapy approaches.