​Exploring Predictive Factors for Postpartum Breast Cancer

• ​​​Dissect the biology of high risk hormone receptor positive breast cancer in young women
• ​Assess the influence of parity on breast cancer biology
• ​Determine risk factors associated with postpartum breast cancer disease progression and relapse
• ​Identify potential biomarkers for targeted therapy approaches​​ 

​​Treatment for Hormone Receptor positive (HR+) breast cancer has been a success story for medical oncology, with 5-year survival rates for early stage, localized disease being over 90%. The use of Endocrine Therapies (ET) has demonstrated clinical efficacy for both adjuvant and advanced settings, however the presence of de novo or acquired endocrine resistance remains a major cause of mortality for this disease. Young females in particular typically face more aggressive forms of disease with increased metastasis and reocurrence and decreased survival. Data supports that breast cancers occurring in young females have a unique biology compared to older counterparts. Among factors contributing to onset of breast cancer in younger females, bearing children (parity) is an important and often unconsidered variable. For up to 10 years following childbirth, females have an elevated susceptibility to breast cancer and they present with increased risk of metastasis and a 3 fold increased risk of death as compared to females who were never pregnant. Importantly, data supports that the biology of breast cancer in women diagnosed within the 10 year window following childbirth is unique. The goal of this project is to identify unique mutations and pathways driving breast cancer in women in the postpartum window to uncover new targetable pathways and mutations for early detection and prevention of drug resistance and recurrence. ​ 

Anticipated outcomes and impact

​​While treatment for hormone receptor positive breast cancer has largely been a success story, resistance remains a problem, particularly for young women who face far more aggressive forms of the disease. This project aims to identify mutations and pathways driving aggressive drug resistant disease in hormone receptor positive breast cancer, with a particular focus on the influence of parity on disease biology. Comparing the driving mutations and pathways differing between patients who have never been pregnant and those diagnosed within the postpartum period will reveal new therapies that may aid in both early detection as well as  prevention of disease progression and recurrence. ​