BCRP Research Success
BCRP’s first research projects were funded in July 1995 and have been underway now for almost three years. Although the majority of projects are not yet complete, there are 25 projects that have been completed in 1997. These projects will add much needed knowledge to some of the underfunded areas in breast cancer research.
These newly completed studies have made inroads into understanding what makes breast tumor cells different from normal breast cells. Investigations into the hormonal regulation of breast cancer have yielded breakthroughs in understanding how estrogen and its receptors work. Investigators have uncovered previously unknown pathways that hormones use to translate the growth signals to cells. These signals are modified in tumor cells. Explorations of these modifications should provide new targets for therapy and could explain how tumor cells become resistant to hormonal therapy.
Many of these studies explored alterations at the genetic and chromosomal levels. They have made great strides in determining which genes are responsible for some of the most insidious characteristics of breast tumor cells; their immortality and their ability to move from the breast to other parts of the body.
Researchers have also found that some genes make people more susceptible to environmental insults. Uncovering these susceptibilities could lead to improved risk assessment and better management by physicians and women of their individual needs. The susceptibility links between breast cancer risk and the genes that control estrogen formation or the ability to absorb Vitamin D have been substantiated and now are moving on to a more extensive exploration in newly funded studies.
But how can BCRP studies be used in the prevention, detection and treatment of breast cancer? Research into the earlier detection of breast cancer has led to the development of agents for imaging breast cancer growth and metastasis. Researchers have been particularly successful in modifying antibodies to target breast tumors. They modify them by making antibodies easier for the tumor cell to take up or by directing antibodies to the cancer cells more effectively. These approaches not only have consequences for the earlier detection of primary breast cancer and the more accurate detection of metastases, but also for treatment of both primary and metastatic breast disease.
An important goal of BCRP is to make sure that the fruits of breast cancer research are accessible to all Californians. One way of approaching this problem is to find ways to get the information to people in a way that serves them best. Two newly completed studies have come up with ways to reach and help both underserved California populations and women who have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
The newly completed BCRP projects can help to provide better management of breast cancer patients physically and psychologically. While all of these studies can be categorized according to priority issues or underfunded research areas, they can also be integrated to form a larger picture of how breast cancer develops and what we can do to prevent and treat it. They can provide the means for tailoring breast cancer treatment and detection to individual needs.
