Rejuvenating the lymph nodes to treat breast cancer metastasis

Project description

Metastasis, the spread of cancer from the primary site in the breast, remains the principal cause of mortality among people with cancer. Breast cancer cells often travel to the lymph nodes before reaching distant organs, where they are believed to grow and adapt, aiding their spread throughout the body. People with cancer present in the lymph nodes face a significantly higher risk of the disease spreading to other organs and recurring after treatment. As a result, lymph node involvement remains one of the most critical prognostic indicators of disease progression. Moreover, immune responses that fight cancer and respond to immunotherapy treatments reside in the lymph nodes. However, the spread of cancer cells to lymph nodes can suppress this anti-cancer immunity.

Previous research by Professor Scott Mueller from the University of Melbourne and the team has shown that as cancer cells invade the lymph nodes, they disrupt healthy fibroblasts—cells essential for initiating effective immune responses—thereby hindering a person’ ability to respond to current immunotherapies.

In this NBCF-funded study the team aims to generate new knowledge about how lymph nodes participate in breast cancer progression. By using state-of-the-art laboratory models of metastasis, and analysing tissue samples from people with breast cancer , they aim to uncover the cellular pathways and molecules responsible for the disruption of lymph nodes function by cancer cells. The team will explore whether targeting these pathways can restore immune activity and evaluate the potential for combining these approaches with existing immunotherapies to enhance treatment outcomes.

Why is this work needed

The risk of the cancer spreading to other organs and recurring after treatment is significantly higher in people who present with cancer in the lymph nodes. The role of lymph nodes in metastasis remains poorly understood. Research to elucidate their involvement can inform how to better stop breast cancer progression and metastasis.

Expected outcomes

The successful outcome of this study aims to uncover mechanisms and targets that can be used to restore lymph node functions and improve systemic immune responses that can be better boosted with contemporary immunotherapies.