Radiomic analysis of breast cancer animal model after melatonin treatment

• Grant number: 15/18541-3
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Effective date (Start): February 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): January 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Debora Aparecida Pires de Campos Zuccari
• Grantee: Bruna Victorasso Jardim-Perassi
• Supervisor abroad: Robert Gillies
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (FAMERP). Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico (São Paulo - Estado). São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil
• Local de pesquisa : Moffitt Cancer Center, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 14/13815-5 - Radiomics and transcriptomics analysis of breast cancer in an animal model after melatonin treatment, BP.PD

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women being rated as the second most frequent type of cancer in the world. Solid tumors are recognized by a microenvironment, which is exposed to adverse conditions, such as hypoxia and acidosis that can play selective pressures that drive a natural selection, leading to creating of sub-populations of tumor cells that have selective advantage (habitats) within tumor microenvironment. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland and currently has been associated with cancer. Studies suggest its therapeutic use in different types of cancer, but still need a better understanding of their mechanisms of action. In this context, the aim of this study is to assess the intratumor heterogeneity for understanding the effectiveness of melatonin treatment in an experimental model of triple-negative breast cancer. Athymic nude mice will receive the implantation of breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 and will be treated with melatonin or vehicle. At the end of treatment will be performed the magnetic resonance imaging and radiomics analysis to identify habitats of the interest in the tumor, evaluating the intratumor heterogeneity and the influence of melatonin in this process. (AU)