Better understanding patient response to treatment
2023 was the second of a two-year research project, funded with the support of The Mater Hospital Foundation and focused on the Molecular Dissection of Triple Negative Breast Cancer. The second batch of funding for this vital research was drawn down in 2023, bringing the total funding to €196,500.
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) comprises 10-15% of all breast cancers and is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer. It is invasive and lacks three key hormones that make up its name, Estrogen, Progesterone and HER2.
Women presenting with this cancer are often younger, with surgery and chemotherapy being the main treatment options. Those patients who do not respond are at high risk of relapsing in the first three years after their diagnosis.
The Mater Breast Cancer Research Group are comprehensively studying this cancer subtype by examining samples (blood and breast cancer tissue) of the TNBC before, during and after chemotherapy.
The research examines why some women respond to treatment and others do not. It also aims to improve the classification of triple negative cancers, so we can know earlier which cancers are likely to respond versus those that are not.
With one-quarter of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Ireland being diagnosed, treated and followed by the Mater Hospital, it is an ideal location for a dedicated Breast Cancer Research Group. The multi-disciplinary team involved are dedicated to developing studies that answer the important clinical questions they face daily. While the patients involved in the research are helping to solve and answer questions that may in some cases directly impact on their care, and that of other breast cancer patients in the future.