Although we understand the differences between tumour cells and normal cells, so much so that we can target these differences, metastatic tumours, including those resistant to therapy, are less known because it is much harder to obtain samples from those sites (liver, lung, skin).
This project will directly address this problem. Patients treated for the most aggressive type of breast cancer (triple negative) will be recruited in four Québec hospitals. Biopsies will then be obtained before treatment with the most powerful drugs in breast cancer, and after the treatment. These two samples will then be analyzed to identify the molecular factors of resistance to treatment.
These factors of resistance can help oncologists in two ways: first, by using these factors of resistance, it will be possible to better adapt the treatment to each patient; and second, it will be possible to target the identified factors to develop new treatments to overcome the resistance in advanced tumours.
Co-applicants:
| Gerald | Batist | Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research |
| Alberto | Cambrosio | McGill University |
| Peter | Keating | Université du Québec à Montréal |
| Jonathan | Kimmelman | McGill University |
| Jacek | Majewski | McGill University |