Triple negative breast cancer and tumor microenvironment

• Grant number: 22/15786-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2023
• End date: February 28, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Maternal and Child Health
• Principal Investigator: Sophie Françoise Mauricette Derchain
• Grantee: Alícia Cabral Daniel Vicente
• Host Institution: Centro de Atenção Integral à Saúde da Mulher (CAISM). Hospital da Mulher Professor Doutor José Aristodemo Pinotti. Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Triple negative breast carcinomas (TNBC), although sensitive to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), have higher rates of early recurrence and worse prognosis when compared to other BC subtypes. They do not express estrogen, progesterone and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) receptors. However, TNBCs include different diseases, with different histologies, tumor microenvironment (immunological) and mutations. Understanding the relationships between treatment response and the biology of each type of TNBC is essential for precision medicine. Objective: To evaluate the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in women with TNBC and its association with the tumor microenvironment. Methodology: For this cohort study, 80 women with TNBC will be selected who, since 2016, after signing the Free and Informed Consent Term, provided biological samples to the Biobank of the Women's Hospital Prof Dr José Aristodemo Pinotti at the State University of Campinas (CAISM-UNICAMP) (CONEP B-056). Tissue samples collected before the start of treatment (at diagnosis) will be used. The tumor microenvironment will be evaluated by the immunoexpression of proteins CD4, CD8, FOXP3 e CX3CR1 in paraffin blocks. For statistical analysis, multivariate methods will be used. This study will be carried out at the State University of Campinas, Unicamp, São Paulo.Key words: breast carcinoma, biomarkers, prognosis.